Promotion Crisis Triggers Indefinite Strike by FCT Teachers

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared an indefinite strike by teachers in the territory over unresolved disputes concerning promotion and career progression.

The strike takes effect on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Administration (FCTA) to address the grievances.

The NLC had issued the ultimatum on September 8, demanding the resolution of what it described as long-standing welfare and career-related issues affecting teachers in the FCT.

However, in a communiqué signed by the NLC FCT Council Chairman, Comrade Knabayi S. Adalo, the union rejected the FCTA’s response to the ultimatum, describing it as “ambiguous, dismissive and totally unacceptable.”

At the centre of the dispute is the implementation of a “vacancy clause” by the FCTA, which the union said makes the promotion of teachers subject to the availability of vacancies.

The NLC argued that teachers were recruited specifically by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB) and the FCT Secondary Education Board (FCT-SEB) to teach and should therefore not be subjected to promotion arrangements designed for core civil servants or pool officers.

According to the union, the vacancy-based promotion system has resulted in prolonged career stagnation and demoralisation among teachers in the territory.

The NLC maintained that promotion should reflect teachers’ years of service, qualifications, experience and established career progression structures, rather than be restricted by the availability of vacancies.

The union called on the FCTA to urgently address the issues and engage with organised labour to prevent further disruption to academic activities across the territory.

The strike is expected to affect teaching and learning in public schools across the FCT until the dispute is resolved.