NUT to shutdown schools in FCT, Gombe, over minimum wage

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has announced plans to shut down public primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory and Gombe, and Zamfara State, among others, over failure to implement the new minimum wage for teachers.

The union said the decision followed prolonged negotiations with authorities that failed to yield satisfactory commitments, warning that the strike action would continue until the affected teachers receive their rightful entitlements.

Audu Amba, the national president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, made this known in Abuja while speaking with journalists at the union’s 2026 annual solemn assembly.

Amba condemned the continued neglect of teachers’ welfare, especially those at the basic education level, emphasising that the teachers’ welfare goes beyond salaries and includes a conducive working environment, healthcare services and decent living conditions for teachers and their families.

The NUT president revealed that the union would no longer tolerate the selective implementation of the minimum wage. However, he explained that while some states have implemented it for their civil servants and secondary school teachers, primary school teachers under local government education authorities have been excluded in several cases.

“In some states, they implemented for state civil servants, including secondary school teachers, but those teaching in primary schools and paid by local governments are finding it difficult to get implementation,” he said.
Furthermore, Amba highlighted instances in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where primary school teachers recently embarked on a three-month strike before the minimum wage was implemented.
“In Gombe, there is no proper implementation for primary school teachers.
“In Zamfara, the same situation persists. After our meeting today, we will take stock of states that are yet to implement the minimum wage for primary school teachers,” he said.

In addition, he said, “They will shut down primary schools in their respective states until the minimum wage is implemented. It is called basic education for a reason. If it is done right at the basic level, the tertiary level becomes easier.

Primary and secondary school teachers teach; and in the universities, they lecture. The teacher is key. After the parents, the next person in a child’s life is the teacher.

“Welfare means their salary, their environment where they work and live for themselves, their spouses and their families. That is global best practice in the teaching profession.”

Besides, he said the welfare of teachers directly affects the quality of education delivered to students, while warning state governments against disobeying the law in the implementation of the minimum wage.

“States should not be disobeying the law in implementing the minimum wage. The mood of the teacher reflects on the students. If the teacher is happy when entering the classroom, the class will be happy,” he said.