From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has suspended its planned mass protest over the prolonged closure of public primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following a series of intensive tripartite meetings involving security agencies, lawmakers, and the FCT Administration.
The strike, which has lasted over 100 days, has left thousands of children, especially from low-income families, without access to basic education.
In a statement yesterday, NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, detailed the outcomes of the engagements held on Tuesday, July 2, 2025. The student body’s leadership was initially set to lead a mass protest by 7am at the FCTA Secretariat but was instead invited to a high-level meeting at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters. The two-hour session focused on the crisis’s impact on national security and students’ welfare.
Following this, NANS leaders met with Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Muktar Betara, who provided insights into the root causes of the strike initiated by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). The discussions further highlighted efforts by the FCT Administration under the Minister, Nyesom Wike to resolve the impasse.
A third and decisive meeting was held between the FCT Minister, the NANS leadership, and other stakeholders. It was established that the FCT operates full local government autonomy, making Area Councils solely responsible for salary payments, including those of primary school teachers. Consequently, the FCT Administration explained that it is not directly accountable for the backlog of teachers’ salaries and should not bear sole blame for the crisis.
In a proactive move, Wike had proposed a bailout plan wherein the FCTA would pay 60% of the outstanding salary arrears, while the Area Councils would cover the remaining 40%. When progress stalled, the Minister took the extraordinary step of withholding the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Area Councils for the months of May and June, intending to use these funds to cover the 40% owed to teachers. It is expected that the withheld funds will be available before the end of the week to clear the arrears.
To finalise arrangements for reopening all public primary schools, a joint meeting involving NUT FCT, the FCT Minister, Area Council Chairmen, and NANS is scheduled for Thursday, July 4, 2025.
Oladoja said, “In light of these productive engagements and emerging progress, the National Leadership of NANS hereby suspends the planned protest while keeping close tabs on the implementation of all resolutions reached.”
He thanked all parties, including security agencies and the National Assembly leadership, especially Betara, for their swift and impactful interventions.
The strike, which began on March 24, 2025, has affected over 400 public primary schools in the FCT, denying thousands of pupils their fundamental right to education. NANS had earlier described the prolonged closure as “unacceptable” and “a grave injustice to the Nigerian child,” warning that the government’s silence was “an act of negligence and apathy” towards education.
Wike, who had previously vowed to resolve the strike swiftly, acknowledged the difficulties posed by the autonomy of Area Councils but affirmed his commitment to ensuring teachers return to classrooms soon.
“We reaffirm our commitment to defending the rights of Nigerian students and ensuring that no child is denied access to education due to governmental lapses. Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta,” the NANS president concluded.