A group of aggrieved teachers employed between 2018 and 2021 have staged a protest in Abuja, demanding immediate payment of their long-overdue salaries.
The teachers, some of whom claim they have not received salaries for three years, gathered at the Ministry of Finance on Monday, accusing the government of prolonged neglect and bureaucratic delays. According to them, unlike other ministries that have settled outstanding payments, the Ministry of Education remains the only one yet to fulfil its obligation.
“We are not talking about allowances – these are full salaries that have not been paid,” one of the protesters said. “Many of us were employed in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and up until 2021, we didn’t receive a kobo. We lived on debt for three years. We took loans to survive, and most of us couldn’t pay rent. Our landlords are still chasing us today.”
The teachers lamented the hardship endured over the years, saying that despite their unwavering commitment to duty – including teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were partially closed – they were abandoned by the system.
“While others were home during the lockdown, we were in classrooms doing our best. No allowances, no relief – nothing,” another teacher added. “Today, our children can’t even attend the schools where we teach. We can’t afford their fees.”
Protesters claim to have exhausted all formal channels in pursuit of their entitlements. According to them, appeals have been made to the Ministry of Education, the Civil Service Commission, and the Head of Service, all to no avail.
“All the Ministers of Education, the Permanent Secretaries – we’ve spoken to them,” one protester stated. “We’ve been to the Civil Service Commission and the Head of Service. Still, nothing has happened. Nobody has shown us any form of concern.”
They insist that the Ministry of Finance has become the bottleneck in the payment process. “We’ve been told that every other ministry has settled payments for their employees. Only the Ministry of Education remains. That is why we are here today.”
The protest is the latest in a string of labour-related demonstrations in Nigeria’s education sector, highlighting growing discontent over funding, delayed salaries, and staff welfare.
Officials from the Ministry of Finance have yet to respond to the protesters’ demands as of press time.
The teachers say they will continue their demonstration until the government provides clear answers and concrete timelines for the settlement of all salary arrears.
