Workers employed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration have announced plans to withdraw their services and shut down all government offices across Abuja and its six area councils beginning Monday, January 19, 2026, in a strike action prompted by what labour unions describe as the authorities’ persistent failure to address critical welfare and employment grievances.
The Joint Union Action Congress, representing workers across all cadres within the FCT, issued the directive following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum served on FCTA management, which union officials said was met with silence despite multiple meetings held during the notice period.
Holina Adejoh, Public Relations Officer of the unions, confirmed the planned industrial action to PUNCH Online on Friday. “Yes, we are embarking on a strike on Monday,” she stated during a telephone conversation.
The strike is expected to paralyse operations at all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals, effectively bringing government activities within the nation’s capital to a standstill. The action affects workers ranging from junior staff to senior civil servants across the entire administrative structure of the Federal Capital Territory.
The ultimatum, which took effect from January 7, 2026, was contained in a statement dated January 8 and signed by JUAC President Rifkatu Iortyer and Secretary Abdullahi Saleh. Copies of the notice were formally transmitted to the Minister of State for the FCT, the Chief of Staff, the Head of Service, and the Director of Security Services, according to documents reviewed by PUNCH Online.
According to the unions, several longstanding labour disputes remain unresolved despite repeated appeals to FCTA management. Chief among the grievances are outstanding promotion arrears owed to workers, stalled promotion exercises, and what the unions described as the continued extension of service for retired directors and permanent secretaries beyond their statutory retirement dates.
The unions also alleged that the administration had failed to remit workers’ pension contributions and National Housing Fund deductions, raising concerns about potential violations of the Pension Reform Act and other labour regulations that mandate such remittances.
JUAC further expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the 2024 promotion examinations, describing the exercise as a failure that reportedly affected the majority of its candidates. The unions did not provide specific details about the nature of the examination failures or the number of affected workers.
The decision to embark on industrial action represents an escalation of tensions between FCT workers and the administration, highlighting broader challenges within Nigeria’s public service regarding workers’ welfare, career progression, and administrative transparency.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, created following the relocation of Nigeria’s capital from Lagos to Abuja in 1991, employs thousands of civil servants across various ministries, departments, and agencies responsible for the administration and development of the capital city and its surrounding area councils—Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Industrial actions by public sector workers in Nigeria have historically centred on issues of unpaid salaries, promotion arrears, pension remittances, and poor working conditions. Such strikes often result in the disruption of essential government services, affecting citizens who rely on public institutions for documentation, administrative services, and other government functions.
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The threatened shutdown comes at a time when the administration is expected to maintain full operational capacity to deliver services to residents of the Federal Capital Territory and visitors conducting official business in the nation’s capital.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain a reaction from FCT authorities proved unsuccessful. Tony Odey, media aide to the FCT Head of Office, did not respond to telephone calls seeking official comment on the planned strike and the specific grievances raised by the unions.
The silence from FCTA management during the seven-day ultimatum period suggests either ongoing behind-the-scenes negotiations that have yet to yield results, or a disconnect between the administration and its workforce regarding the urgency of the labour demands.
The Joint Union Action Congress represents a coalition of public sector unions within the FCT, including the Nigeria Civil Service Union, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, and other labour organisations representing different cadres of workers employed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
Labour unions in Nigeria have constitutional rights to embark on industrial action when negotiations with employers fail to resolve disputes. However, such actions are typically preceded by formal notices and ultimatums, allowing management the opportunity to address grievances before services are withdrawn.
