NLC Vows to Paralyze Abuja Activities After July 3 Over Unresolved Workers’ Demands and Prolonged Strike

A major showdown is looming in Nigeria’s capital city as the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has signaled its intention to shut down the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) shortly after the conclusion of ongoing project inaugurations being carried out by President Bola Tinubu. This decision is aimed at drawing urgent attention to the plight of area council workers who have been on strike for months due to unpaid entitlements.

The warning was issued by Stephen Knabayi, Chairman of the NLC FCT chapter, during a press briefing with journalists in Abuja on Thursday. He made it clear that the NLC had held off on taking drastic measures out of respect for the president’s schedule but will proceed with full industrial action once Tinubu’s project inaugurations are completed on July 3.

Frustration has been growing within the ranks of the NLC as essential public services across the six area councils have ground to a halt. Public primary schools have remained closed, health care centers are shut, and local government secretariats have been abandoned. The paralysis stems from ongoing strikes by primary school teachers and other area council workers over the non-payment of the new national minimum wage as well as a 40 percent peculiar allowance.

Knabayi expressed disappointment over the prolonged silence from the FCT Administration and the area council leaderships. He stated that despite repeated efforts to engage in dialogue, there has been no visible commitment to resolving the crisis. According to him, the workers’ patience has worn thin and the union now has no alternative but to escalate the situation.

“The strike actions by teachers and health workers are not arbitrary. They are simply reactions to continued neglect by the authorities responsible for their welfare. These workers are suffering while providing essential services,” Knabayi emphasized.

Previously, the NLC had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration on June 13, demanding the immediate resolution of the issues raised by the various unions representing the striking workers. These include the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and the National Association of Health Workers. The ultimatum expired on June 20 with no concrete response from the relevant authorities.

Knabayi acknowledged that the NLC chose to withhold immediate action out of respect for the president’s ongoing activities commemorating his second year in office. He said the union had taken a strategic decision to avoid disrupting the series of FCT projects being unveiled by the president. However, he made it clear that this was only a temporary delay and not a sign of capitulation.

“We wanted to give the president the space to carry out his official duties. But come July 3, that courtesy ends. The workers cannot continue to suffer in silence while others celebrate infrastructural milestones. We must remind the authorities that development is not just about roads and buildings, but also about human capital and welfare,” he added.

The NLC has already taken steps to notify the FCT Administration and relevant security agencies of their intended course of action. The union is determined to organize a massive demonstration that will effectively shut down Abuja, paralyzing government activities, traffic flow, and general business operations in a bid to compel the authorities to act.

Local residents and stakeholders are already expressing concern over the possible implications of such a strike. Abuja, being the seat of Nigeria’s federal government, is a nerve center for political and economic activity. A shutdown of this magnitude could have ripple effects across the country, especially if prolonged.

As the countdown to July 3 begins, all eyes are now on the FCT Administration to see whether they will engage meaningfully with the NLC to resolve the impasse. The union insists its demands are simple and just: payment of the approved minimum wage, release of the peculiar allowance, and improved working conditions for local council staff.

If these issues are not addressed in the coming days, Abuja may witness one of its most significant labour actions in recent years, a movement that could redefine the government’s approach to handling public sector grievances.