Public primary school pupils in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have remained out of school for more than three months due to an unresolved industrial dispute between the FCT Area Council authorities and the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) over the implementation of the new minimum wage.
The prolonged strike, which began earlier this year, has left thousands of young learners idle, with classrooms shut and school grounds abandoned. Despite widespread concern, negotiations between the government and the striking teachers appear to have stalled.
In a dramatic move to highlight the crisis, controversial social media activist, Martin Otse—popularly known as Very Dark Man—recently conducted an open-air lesson with children at the gate of the FCT Administration Secretariat in Abuja. The symbolic protest drew attention to the plight of affected pupils and the broader neglect of public education in the country.
Education advocates warn that the extended closure of schools could further exacerbate Nigeria’s learning crisis, especially in the FCT, where many communities heavily rely on public primary education. They also raised concerns about the vulnerability of out-of-school children to exploitation, insecurity, and long-term educational setbacks. No resolution date has been announced, and government officials have yet to issue a clear public roadmap for ending the strike.
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