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Organized labor has called off its planned protest in the Federal Capital Territory, ending a standoff that paralysed key government services in Abuja for more than a week. The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Monday night directed all workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration to return to their duty posts with immediate effect.
The decision followed an emergency, closed door meeting on February 2, 2026, involving labour leaders, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and members of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory. The talks were convened amid growing pressure over the shutdown of administrative activities in the nation’s capital.
At the centre of the dispute were unpaid promotion arrears and outstanding welfare benefits owed to FCTA staff. The Joint Union Action Committee had led the industrial action after repeated demands for payment went unresolved. Tensions escalated when the FCT administration dismissed two directors, accusing them of insubordination and sabotage linked to the strike.
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Sources familiar with the negotiations said the breakthrough came after the federal government offered firmer financial guarantees. Minister Wike told the meeting that the FCTA had approved and begun disbursing ₦12.5 billion, covering January salaries and part of the backlog of arrears. He stressed that the administration recognised workers’ rights but warned against actions he described as politically motivated disruptions of essential public services.
Read also: Protest: It’s Yielding Results, Govt Responding Fast – NLC
In what was seen as a conciliatory gesture, Wike also agreed to review disciplinary measures taken during the crisis. The reconsideration, according to officials, is conditional on sustained industrial peace and adherence to established dispute resolution channels.
Following the meeting, the NLC and TUC issued a joint directive to their members, confirming that a clear and workable roadmap had been agreed upon for settling all outstanding entitlements. The unions said the assurances received from the minister and the Senate committee were sufficient to justify suspending the protest and restoring normal operations across FCTA departments.
The return to work is expected to ease mounting frustrations among Abuja residents, many of whom had been affected by delays in land administration, licensing, payroll processing, and other municipal services. While labour leaders said they would continue to monitor the implementation of the agreements reached, both sides signalled a willingness to move past the confrontation and stabilise governance in the capital.
