FCTA Workers Begin Strike Monday in Abuja

Workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have announced plans to shut down government offices across Abuja and the area councils as they begin an indefinite strike on Monday, January 19, 2026.

The decision was taken by the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), which instructed workers across all cadres in the FCT to withdraw their services. The unions said the action is due to the administration’s failure to address long-standing welfare and labour issues.

A union representative, Holina Adejoh, confirmed the strike plan on Friday, stating that the workers would down tools from Monday.

If carried out as announced, the strike is expected to disrupt activities across FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, parastatals, and the six area councils. This means many routine government services within the FCT could slow down or stop completely during the strike period.

According to the unions, the strike follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to FCTA management. The ultimatum reportedly took effect on January 7, 2026, but the unions said their demands were not met despite meetings held within that period.

The unions listed several unresolved issues, including outstanding promotion arrears, delayed or stalled promotions, and alleged continued extension of service for some retired directors and permanent secretaries. They also claimed there are concerns around the remittance of workers’ pension contributions and National Housing Fund (NHF) deductions.

JUAC also raised complaints about the outcome of the 2024 promotion examinations, describing the exercise as unsatisfactory for many of its members.