Abuja came to a near halt on Thursday after the Nigeria Labour Congress threw its support behind the ongoing indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, shutting down many offices and public services in the city.
In a statement issued by its president, Joe Ajaero, the labour centre accused the FCTA leadership of unfair wage practices, diversion of pension funds, harassment of staff and repeated breaches of labour laws.
The union said the strike being led by the Joint Unions Action Congress was a response to continued pressure and mistreatment of workers.
The Congress said the FCTA had failed to pay five months of wage awards and promotion arrears, describing the action as harmful to workers’ means of survival.
It also claimed that pension contributions and National Housing Fund deductions had not been sent to the proper agencies since May 2025, a move it said would leave many workers poor after retirement.
The labour body further accused the administration of using harsh methods to silence workers, including restricting phone use at offices, threatening staff and detaining union members.
Following this, the NLC directed all its affiliate unions in the FCT to fully join the strike and widen the action across the territory.
Workers were also instructed to gather in large numbers at the National Industrial Court on Monday, January 26, 2026, when the dispute is expected to be heard.
The Congress said the court appearance should serve as a peaceful show of unity among workers.
In another step, the NLC announced daily prayer and solidarity meetings for workers across the FCT from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., saying the sessions would help keep morale high during the struggle.
Trade unions were also told to work with civil society groups, students and community leaders, as the dispute had grown beyond workplace matters.
The labour centre warned that it would toughen its action if the demands were not met quickly, adding that workers’ patience had run out.
By the time of filing this report, many FCTA offices and services in Abuja were still shut, raising fears about the effect of the standoff on governance and the economy in the capital.
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