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| Comrade Audu Titus Amba, President NUT |
ABUJA, NIGERIA—The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Titus Amba, on Sunday, October 5, 2025, used the occasion of World Teachers’ Day to strongly call out Federal and State Governments for the widespread failure to implement key welfare packages and the new national minimum wage for teachers.
Delivering his address at the ceremony held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, with the theme "Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession," Comrade Amba appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sustaining the President's Teachers and Schools Excellence Award, but quickly shifted focus to the numerous unfulfilled promises.
Welfare Promises and Non-Implementation
The NUT President highlighted a catalogue of welfare incentives approved by the Federal Government in 2020 that are yet to see full implementation across the states.
"It is worrisome to note that apart from the Harmonized Retirement Age of 65 years and 40 years of service for teachers, which has been implemented by 22 States and the FCT, most of the approvals made in 2020 are yet to be implemented," Amba stated.
The unimplemented incentives include:
* Special salary scale for teachers.
* Reintroduction of Bursary Award and automatic employment for education students.
* Building of low-cost houses for teachers in rural areas.
* Provision of loan facilities for agriculture, housing, and others.
* Free tuition and automatic admission for biological children of teachers.
He urged all tiers of government to ensure the "full implementation of these approved incentives" to boost teacher effectiveness and quality learning outcomes.
Minimum Wage Defaulting States
Comrade Amba expressed "dismay" that the New Minimum Wage, signed into law on July 29, 2024, has not been fully implemented for teachers across the country.
* The NUT leader reported that 10 States have not fully implemented the minimum wage for teachers.
* Of this number, 6 States have partially implemented the wage.
* 4 States have not implemented it at all.
He commended the complying states but called on the "defaulting States to comply without further delay for the interest of industrial peace and harmony."
Alarming Teacher Shortage Crisis
Addressing a major threat to the education system, the NUT President cited national statistics revealing an alarming man-power crisis.
* The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) figures for 2024 show a shortage of 194,876 teachers in public primary schools across the country.
* The situation in the secondary education sub-sector was also described as "not encouraging."
Amba reinforced the global call to action from the UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, urging all tiers of Government to ensure the "right number and quality of teachers are employed."
Other Key Demands
The NUT President also raised several other critical concerns:
Under-funding of TRCN: He reiterated the call for the Federal Government to reverse the policy of delisting the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) from government funding, stressing that the body needs budget allocation to strengthen the teaching profession.
Handover of Schools: The NUT frowned upon the "privatization and commercialization of education" and specifically called on the Edo State Government to rescind its decision on the recent handover of some schools to missions and voluntary agencies.
Inadequate Education Financing: The President lamented that budgetary allocations to education in Nigeria remain far below the internationally recommended benchmark of at least 15 to 20 per cent of public expenditure. He also expressed concern that States and the FCT failed to draw over N54 Billion from the UBE matching grants due to an inability to fulfil the access requirements.
Unity School Teachers’ Concerns: He called on the Federal Government to resolve outstanding issues for Unity School teachers, including:
* Promotion of officers on the directorate cadre without subject to limited vacancies.
* Payment of 3 years salary arrears owed to teachers employed in 2018.
* Payment of 2 years salary arrears to teachers whose services were elongated under the new Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022.
The event, which was attended by top government functionaries, development partners, and labour leaders, celebrated the teaching profession under the theme, which highlights the transformative potential of mutual support, shared experience, and joint responsibilities within the profession.
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