A statewide strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) is looming in Kwara State following the government’s failure to address long-standing welfare issues affecting teachers.
The national leadership of the NUT criticised the state government for neglecting key demands, including the implementation of the 27.5% Teachers Specific Allowance (TSA) and the National Harmonized Teachers Retirement Age Act, 2022.
In a letter to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq dated November 13, 2025, and acknowledged on November 17, the NUT President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, and Secretary General, Dr. Clinton Ikpitibo, expressed frustration over several unsuccessful meetings with government officials between 2023 and 2025.
The union condemned the government for approving improved salary structures for medical workers, nurses, and judiciary staff while teachers’ demands remained unresolved.
It warned that failure to implement the 27.5% TSA for TRCN certified teachers and 21% for non-certified teachers had pushed educators “into a riotous mode,” adding that morale in the sector had dropped to a breaking point.
The union also faulted the government’s refusal to implement the Teachers Retirement Age Act, which increases retirement age to 65 or 40 years of service.
It noted that more than 25 states have already complied, questioning why Kwara State despite being led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has yet to do so.
The NUT urged Governor Abdulrazaq to convene an emergency meeting before December 13, 2025, saying there was still room for peaceful resolution. “To talk things out is better than confrontation,” the letter stated.
Copies of the letter were also sent to key government officials, labour bodies, and relevant ministries. The union warned that failure to act quickly could lead to a fresh strike that may disrupt academic activities across the state.
