The Nigeria Labour Congress has escalated the ongoing industrial dispute involving workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, declaring full support for their indefinite strike over unpaid wages, promotion arrears, and unremitted pension contributions, as the standoff continues to cripple government operations across Abuja.
The strike, organised under the Joint Unions Action Congress, began earlier in the week following what workers described as prolonged neglect of their welfare demands by the FCTA management. Offices across several departments in the nation’s capital remain largely shut, with staff insisting that repeated engagements with authorities have failed to yield concrete results. The unions maintain that workers are owed several months of wage awards, promotion arrears, and statutory deductions that should have been remitted long ago.
In a strongly worded statement, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the congress had carefully reviewed a formal petition submitted by JUAC and concluded that FCTA workers were facing what he described as a deliberate and systematic assault on their rights. He accused the administration of withholding legitimate earnings and violating constitutional guarantees tied to remuneration and labour protection.
Ajaero stated that the non-payment of five months’ wage awards and promotion arrears could not be dismissed as administrative oversight, describing it instead as an unlawful denial of income that has pushed workers and their families into financial distress. He further condemned the failure to remit pension contributions and National Housing Fund deductions since May 2025, warning that such actions expose both serving and retired workers to long-term economic insecurity.
While FCTA officials have claimed that progress has been made in resolving the dispute, including the settlement of several union demands, the workers’ unions have firmly rejected those assertions. According to JUAC, no binding agreement has been reached and none of the disputed payments have been fully implemented or independently verified, insisting that the strike will continue until all obligations are met in full.
The labour congress also raised concerns over alleged intimidation of striking workers, including restrictions on phone use and reports of staff being detained. It described these actions as oppressive and contrary to both Nigerian labour laws and international conventions, warning that such measures only deepen mistrust and prolong the crisis.
In response, the NLC has directed all its affiliate unions within the Federal Capital Territory to fully align with the strike and intensify mobilisation. Workers have also been instructed to converge at the National Industrial Court on January 26, 2026, where related matters are scheduled for hearing. In addition, the congress announced daily solidarity and prayer sessions across designated locations in Abuja as part of sustained pressure on the authorities.
Despite assurances from the FCTA that some payments have commenced and others are being processed, union leaders insist that activities across government offices will remain paralyzed until all outstanding wages, arrears, and statutory deductions are conclusively settled. The NLC has called on civil society groups and the wider public to support the workers, describing the dispute as a broader struggle against what it termed institutional disregard for workers’ dignity and rights.
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