By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
Nigeria witnessed a wave of protests and labour unrest in January this year, with demonstrations cutting across Abuja – the nation’s capital, and the commercial city of Lagos. The protests, driven largely by workers’ welfare concerns, court interventions and forced evictions, disrupted public services and reignited debates about governance and civic rights in one of West Africa’s biggest economies.
Here are five major protests and protest-related actions that dominated the national conversation within the period:
- FCTA Workers’ Strike and Shutdown of Abuja Public Services
One of the most disruptive protests in recent weeks began on January 22 and is still ongoing. Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) commenced an indefinite strike that paralysed public services across Abuja.
The action, coordinated by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) and backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was triggered by unresolved issues including unpaid promotion arrears, salary discrepancies, and welfare concerns, as well as grievances against the administration of city’s Minister Nyesom Wike.
As the strike intensified, public primary schools, health centres and FCTA offices were shut, grounding government activities in the nation’s capital and affecting thousands of residents.
- FCTA Workers Defy Industrial Court Order Halting Strike
The crisis escalated on January 27, when the National Industrial Court of Nigeria issued an interim injunction directing FCTA workers to suspend the strike pending the determination of a suit filed by the FCT administration.
Rather than comply, union leaders rejected the order on January 28, instructing workers to remain at home while insisting they were not on strike but protesting unresolved labour violations. The defiance underscored mounting tension between organized labour and government authorities.
- NLC-Backed Protest Against Wike At Industrial Court
On January 26, FCTA workers, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress, staged a protest at the National Industrial Court in Abuja, demanding improved welfare conditions and calling for the removal of Minister Wike.
Protesters marched with placards reading “Wike Must Go” and “Abuja No Be Rivers,” accusing the FCT administration of intimidation and anti-labour practices. The protest drew national attention as one of the most direct confrontations between Abuja workers and the FCT leadership in recent years.
- Resident Doctors’ Planned Protest Halted By Court Order
Tension also brewed in the health sector after the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) announced plans to embark on industrial action from January 12, over unmet welfare and salary-related demands.
However, the planned protest was halted on January 9, when the National Industrial Court granted an interim order restraining the doctors from embarking on any strike, picketing or protest action nationwide. Although the protest did not materialize, the episode highlighted persistent labour unrest within Nigeria’s healthcare system.
- Makoko Demolition Protests In Lagos
In Lagos, protests erupted between January 27 and January 29, following the demolition of sections of the Makoko waterfront community, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements.
Displaced residents, supported by rights activists, marched to protest what they described as forced evictions without adequate notice, compensation or resettlement. Tensions peaked on January 28, when police fired tear gas near the Lagos State House of Assembly to disperse demonstrators, injuring at least one protester.
Human rights groups condemned the use of force and warned that continued demolitions could heighten social tensions in the state.
With labour unions maintaining pressure in Abuja and displaced communities demanding justice in Lagos, analysts warn that further protests may occur if negotiations fail to produce concrete outcomes
