A protracted three-month strike by public school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) appears to be nearing its end, following a firm intervention by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. The strike, which commenced in March, was primarily driven by the non-implementation of the minimum wage, persistent unpaid approved salary increments, and the failure to honor a tripartite agreement signed on December 11, 2024. Teachers were demanding full implementation of this agreement, which included a N70,000 minimum wage, the payment of 25 to 35 percent salary arrears, a 40 percent peculiar allowance, the N35,000 wage award announced by the Federal Government, and several years’ worth of promotion benefits arrears.

Minister Wike convened a crucial closed-door meeting on Thursday at his official residence in Abuja, bringing together the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the six FCT Area Council chairmen, along with representatives from the FCT Administration and the National Assembly. The objective was to resolve the longstanding issues that had led to the closure of public primary schools across the territory.

Following extensive discussions, a significant resolution was reached: the six Area Council chairmen collectively agreed to forfeit 10 percent of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the next six months. This decision, described as a 'painful' but 'necessary sacrifice' by the chairmen, aims to cover approximately 70 percent of the outstanding minimum wages and other arrears owed to the teachers. The Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Abubakar Abdullahi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, confirmed the agreement, appealing to the NUT to call off the strike in the interest of the pupils. He acknowledged that while the Minister, by law, had no right to mandate the withholding of IGR, the chairmen agreed collectively to ensure the crisis was resolved.

The President of NANS, Olushola Ladoja, praised the resolution and commended Minister Wike for his 'courageous action' in mediating the dispute. He noted that during the closed-door session, teachers initially demanded 70 percent of their owed money, which was fortunately covered by the calculated IGR sum the minister secured from the area councils. Ladoja also lauded the chairmen for prioritizing students' interests, despite the potential legal implications of the IGR forfeiture.

In addition to the IGR agreement, Minister Wike ordered the formation of a Special Committee to address the remaining unresolved demands. This committee comprises three members from the NUT, two representatives from the FCTA, one Area Council Chairman, and a representative from NANS. They are tasked with delivering their final report, including recommendations for settling outstanding debts and preventing future conflicts, within two weeks. While the agreement marks a major step toward ending the strike, the FCT NUT chairman, Mohammed Shafa, stated that the union’s State Executive Council would convene a meeting to take a final decision on calling off the strike, assuring that primary school teachers are expected to return to classrooms soon.