The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared full support for the ongoing indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), describing the industrial action as both “necessary and heroic” in the face of alleged administrative excesses and persistent violations of workers’ rights.
The strike, led by the Joint Unions Action Congress (JUAC), is over unpaid wages, outstanding pension contributions, and deteriorating working conditions.
Speaking in solidarity with the striking workers, the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the action was provoked by what he described as “a vicious cocktail of neoliberal attacks, gross administrative impunity, and the systematic denial of fundamental rights” by the management and political leadership of the FCTA. He said consultations with JUAC leaders had revealed what he characterised as a deliberate assault on workers’ livelihoods and dignity.
According to the NLC, key grievances fuelling the strike include the alleged illegal withholding of five months’ wage awards and promotion arrears, which the labour centre described as a direct attack on workers’ earnings. It also cited the non-remittance of pension contributions and National Housing Fund deductions since May 2025, describing the situation as economic sabotage affecting both serving and retired employees.
Comrade Ajaero further accused the FCTA management of intimidating workers through phone bans and alleged incarceration, describing such actions as “fascistic tactics designed to cripple workers’ solidarity and silence dissent”. He stressed that these measures violate both constitutional provisions and international labour conventions.
In response, the NLC announced an escalation of actions in support of the strike. These include the mobilisation of workers to appear enmasse at the National Industrial Court on Monday, January 26, 2026, for hearings related to the dispute; the commencement of daily Prayer and Solidarity Sessions from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at designated locations across the Federal Capital Territory; and the strengthening of alliances with civil society organisations, student groups, community activists, and the wider public.
Warning that “the patience of the working class is exhausted”,Comrade Ajaero called on the FCTA management and political leadership to address the workers’ demands without delay. He said the industrial action transcends a conventional labour dispute and represents a broader “people’s struggle” against an insensitive administration.
“The NLC stands firmly with the FCTA workers,” he said. “Your struggle is our struggle. Your victory will be a victory for every exploited worker in Nigeria. A people united can never be defeated. Workers united can never be defeated.”
