Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) on Monday commenced an indefinite strike, leading to the shutdown of government activities across Abuja.
The industrial action resulted in the closure of major government offices, including the FCTA Secretariat, where heavy security presence was observed early in the day.
Personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force were stationed at the entrance, preventing workers from accessing the premises.
A security operative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that staff were barred from entering the secretariat due to the strike.
The action disrupted activities across all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils and parastatals within the Federal Capital Territory.
The strike followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCTA management by the Joint Union Action Congress, which accused the authorities of failing to address long-standing labour and welfare concerns.
The ultimatum, which took effect from January 7, 2026, was contained in a statement signed by the JUAC President, Rifkatu Iortyer, and the Secretary, Abdullahi Saleh.
Speaking to journalists at the FCTA Secretariat, the Vice President of JUAC, Musa Istifanus, said the unions had no option but to shut down government offices after repeated efforts to engage the FCTA management and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, yielded no results.
According to him, the workers are protesting unresolved welfare issues, including delayed promotions, alleged irregularities in the 2024 promotion examination conducted using computer-based testing, partial payment of wage awards and non-remittance of pension and housing fund deductions.
Istifanus described the promotion exercise as a “mass failure,” alleging that technical glitches marred the examination and that about 75 per cent of candidates failed.
He also claimed that only one month out of five months’ approved wage award had been paid, while pension remittances had not been made since May last year.
He stressed that the strike would remain indefinite until the issues were addressed, adding that it could be suspended immediately if meaningful engagement took place.
However, the FCTA management dismissed the unions’ claims, insisting that most of the demands had been met.
In a statement, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka, said 10 out of the 14 demands presented by the workers had been addressed, while efforts were ongoing to resolve the remaining issues.
Olayinka said payments of outstanding wage awards, hazard and rural allowances had commenced or been completed, while promotion arrears had been approved and were being processed.
He added that issues relating to training, tenure elongation and promotion examinations were being handled in line with public service rules.
The FCTA described the strike as unnecessary and called on security agencies to allow workers who chose not to participate in the action access to their offices to perform their duties.
