The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike to release delayed salary payments for January 2026, threatening a total shutdown across all six area councils in Nigeria’s capital region.
The ultimatum was announced by Ibrahim Abdullahi Kabi, President of NULGE’s FCT chapter, during a press conference in Abuja. He stated that the FCT Administration (FCTA) has refused to allocate funds to the Kuje Area Council, preventing the payment of staff wages. Kabi emphasized that Kuje is the only local government area among the FCT’s six councils where workers have not received their salaries, while federal agencies, state governments, and other local governments have fulfilled their obligations.
According to the union, all diplomatic channels have been exhausted without resolution. Kabi described the prolonged delay as illegal and unacceptable, noting that the FCTA has cited “technical issues” as the reason for withholding funds. He highlighted the severe impact on workers and their families, including an inability to pay rent, medical bills, and school fees, with some children sent home from school and families resorting to loans and begging.
The union asserted that timely salary payment is a statutory right. Kabi questioned why Kuje’s workforce should be penalized, stressing that the union’s patience is wearing thin despite maintaining a civil approach. He warned that failure to release the allocation within 72 hours will trigger an industrial action affecting all six area councils in the FCT.
The FCT, which functions similarly to a state but is administered directly by the federal minister, comprises six area councils: Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Kuje, Kwali, and Karshi. Salary payments to local government employees are typically funded through monthly allocations from the federal allocation pool. The dispute centers on the FCTA’s failure to disburse the January 2026 funds to Kuje, creating a unique and isolated hardship for its workers.
The ultimatum underscores growing tensions over fiscal management in the territory. If the industrial action proceeds, essential services across the FCT’s local governments could be disrupted. The union’s demand places immediate pressure on Minister Wike to resolve the allocation issue before the deadline, highlighting the broader implications for worker welfare and local governance in Nigeria’s capital region.
