NLC Shuts Down Abuja, Declares Full Support For Indefinite FCTA Workers’ Strike
Activities across Abuja were largely paralysed on Thursday as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) threw its full weight behind the ongoing indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The NLC said the action, led by the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), was a response to what it described as persistent wage abuse, pension diversion, intimidation of workers and violations of labour laws by the FCTA management and its political leadership.
In a statement signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, the Congress accused the FCTA of illegally withholding five months’ wage awards and promotion arrears, describing the situation as a direct assault on workers’ livelihoods.
The NLC also alleged that pension contributions and National Housing Fund (NHF) deductions had not been remitted since May 2025, warning that the failure endangered the welfare of serving and retired workers.
According to the Congress, the strike represents “a necessary and heroic response” to sustained attacks on workers’ rights, adding that labour could no longer tolerate what it termed economic sabotage.
The NLC further accused the FCTA of adopting oppressive tactics to suppress dissent, including workplace intimidation, restrictions on phone usage, and the arrest of union activists.
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As part of the escalation, the Congress directed all affiliate unions in the Federal Capital Territory to fully comply with the strike, declaring that the dispute had become a collective struggle of all workers in Abuja.
It also ordered workers to mobilise to the National Industrial Court on Monday, January 26, 2026, when legal proceedings relating to the dispute are scheduled to be heard.
In addition, the NLC announced daily prayer and solidarity gatherings for workers across the FCT during official working hours, while urging labour unions to collaborate with civil society groups, students and community organisations.
As of press time, operations across major FCTA offices and public services remained shut, raising concerns over the growing economic and administrative impact of the escalating labour confrontation in the nation’s capital.