Several primary school teachers under the Local Education Authority (LEA) in some area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) reportedly collapsed last week after receiving their January salaries, which did not reflect the new N70,000 minimum wage.
Reports indicate that the teachers, many of whom had incurred debts with the hope of repaying them once the new wage was implemented, were deeply disappointed when they received the old salary instead. This contradicts promises made by council chairmen to begin the new wage implementation in January 2025.
It was confirmed that all primary school teachers across the six area councils received their January salaries at the old rate.
Muazu Abdulkarim, a teacher, expressed frustration over the situation, calling it unfortunate. He revealed that two of his colleagues at Bwari LEA Primary School fainted after receiving their salary alerts, as they had been counting on the new wage to settle debts and pay for basic needs like food and school fees.
Similar incidents were reported in Abaji and Kwali area councils, where some teachers reportedly collapsed after discovering their salaries did not include the promised increase.
 Barnabas Gambo, a relative of one of the teachers in Kwali, said four teachers fell unconscious due to the disappointment. Many of them had taken loans in anticipation of the new salary to settle debts and other financial obligations.
The President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the FCT, Comrade Abdullahi Kabi, revealed that only Abaji, Gwagwalada, and AMAC area councils had implemented the N70,000 minimum wage as of January. He added that Kwali, Kuje, and Bwari councils were yet to take any steps toward compliance.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the FCT announced that its standing committee would reconvene next Tuesday to discuss the non-implementation of the new wage.
It was disclosed that the council chairmen, through the FCT chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), had requested an extension until March 2025 to start paying the new minimum wage.
In December 2024, the FCT branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Comrade Stephen Knabayi, had declared a strike over the failure of area councils to implement the new wage.
The strike was suspended after the council chairmen signed an agreement promising to begin implementation in January 2025.
