The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) National Headquarters has severely criticised the Kwara State Government for the persistent neglect of teachers’ welfare, warning that educators in the state may soon embark on a full-blown strike if outstanding demands remain unresolved.
The union specifically accused the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of failing to implement the mandatory 27.5% Teachers Specific Allowance (TSA) and the National Harmonised Teachers Retirement Age Act, 2022.
In a strongly worded letter dated November 13, 2025, jointly signed by National President Audu Amba and Secretary-General Dr Clinton Ikpitibo, the NUT expressed disappointment that, despite several engagements, the government has failed to honour commitments to the teaching workforce. The letter was acknowledged by the Governor’s Office on November 17, 2025.
The NUT highlighted a significant disparity in the government’s approach to salaries and allowances, noting that:
“Between 2023 to date, the matter has remained unresolved, whereas your government approved full consolidated salary structures for medical and health workers, nurses, and recently, staff of the judiciary, without attending to the age-long demand of teachers.”
The union maintained that the government’s refusal to implement the 27.5% TSA for TRCN-certified teachers (and 21% for non-certified teachers) has pushed educators in the state “into a riotous mode,” signalling that patience within the sector has reached its limit.
The NUT also criticised the state for failing to domesticate and implement the National Harmonised Teachers Retirement Age Act, which extends teachers’ retirement age to 65 years or 40 years of service.
The national body pointed out that Kwara State is lagging, stating:
“It is no longer news that well over 25 states in the federation have complied. The NUT had expected Your Excellency to take the lead, being the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, but this is not the case as of today.”
With tensions rising among teachers, the union urged Governor AbdulRazaq to convene an emergency meeting before December 13, 2025, stressing that a peaceful resolution was still possible if the government acts swiftly.
The union concluded with a call for dialogue: “We do hope that our interventionist approach is accepted, because to jaw-jaw will be better than to war-war.”
Copies of the letter were also forwarded to key stakeholders, including the Acting Head of Service, the Commissioner for Education, the State Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Kwara NUT chapter.
Failure by the government to address these grievances immediately may plunge the state’s education sector into fresh industrial unrest.
