The usually serene streets of Abuja’s city centre erupted in chants and placards on Thursday morning as primary school teachers and workers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) marched in protest. Their grievance: years of unpaid wages, abandoned allowances, and what they described as “institutional neglect” by the six area council chairmen of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The protest, which drew participants from the nooks of Abaji to the corridors of Bwari and Gwagwalada, was not a spontaneous outburst but the result of accumulated frustration. Teachers who should be in classrooms moulding the future were instead lining the streets demanding rights long overdue. According to the protesters, the last time they received their full entitlements was in 2020.
“We are tired of promises. We have children we cannot send to school, rents we cannot pay, and hospitals we cannot afford,” said Mrs. Deborah Eze, a teacher at a primary school in Kwali. “For three years, our peculiar allowances, promotion arrears, and leave grants have not been paid. What is our offense?”
One protester carried a placard reading, “We teach your children, but our own children suffer.” It was a bitter reminder of the irony many teachers face—championing education while being denied the most basic economic dignity. The peaceful march culminated at the entrance of the FCT Secretariat, where union leaders delivered a petition addressed to the FCT Minister and Permanent Secretary.
According to internal union records seen by The Nigeria Education News, over 7,400 teachers across the six area councils—Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)—are affected by the non-payment. These records show that as of March 2025, outstanding promotion arrears and allowances owed to teachers total over ₦3.2 billion.
“This is not about politics. This is about our survival,” said Mr. Yusuf Garba, Chairman of the NUT FCT Wing. “We’ve written letters, held meetings, and exhausted dialogue. Nothing has changed. Our members are slipping into poverty while the councils claim there’s no money.”
Amid the protest, Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the FCT under the Labour Party, voiced her concern. Posting on her official X (formerly Twitter) handle, she wrote, “It is unacceptable that individuals entrusted with the foundational education of our children—our future—are being neglected in this manner… Teachers are not beggars. They are nation-builders.”
Senator Kingibe reaffirmed her commitment to the cause. “It is unacceptable that individuals entrusted with the foundational education of our children and our future are being neglected in this manner. Many of these teachers have not received their promotion arrears, leave grants, and peculiar allowances since 2021. This is not just an administrative failure; it is a moral failure.”
She called on the FCT Administration, the Area Councils, and all relevant agencies to do everything necessary to rectify the situation without further delay. “Teachers are not beggars. They are nation-builders, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect their role demands” she said.
Education policy analyst, Dr. Joseph Agofure, warned of the far-reaching implications. “When you deprive teachers of their rights, you are sabotaging education. Motivation plummets, absenteeism rises, and students ultimately pay the price,” he said. “This is how systemic decay begins.”
A joint report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Nigeria’s Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in 2023 ranked teacher remuneration and morale in the FCT among the lowest in southern West Africa, citing inconsistent wage structures and poor local government funding mechanisms.
Worse still, a recent survey by the Centre for Education and Civic Engagement revealed that 68% of primary school teachers in the FCT take on secondary jobs to survive, including tailoring, commercial driving, and selling household goods. More than 40% of respondents said they would leave the profession if given a viable alternative.
Despite the mounting tension, both unions emphasized that the protest was only a warning shot. “We are giving the FCT administration and area councils a 14-day ultimatum,” declared Comrade Emmanuel Ogwuche, NULGE’s FCT Chairman. “If nothing happens, we will shut down all primary schools and council secretariats indefinitely.”
The protest comes at a time when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has declared education reform a national priority. Yet, the gap between policy pronouncements and on-ground realities remains stark. “You can’t fix education from the top down while ignoring the grassroots,” said Dr. Agofure. “This is where it starts.”
Observers say the unfolding crisis is a stress test for Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: inclusive and equitable quality education. And in the FCT, the capital of Africa’s most populous nation, the test is already failing.
As dusk fell on Abuja and the chants of the protesters faded, one thing became clear: this is not just about salaries. It is about dignity, justice, and a desperate call to value those who shape the minds of tomorrow.
