Kwara, Nigeria – January 2, 2026
Public school teachers in Kwara State on Friday staged a high-profile protest over their exclusion from the recently approved 30% peculiar salary allowance granted to other categories of state workers. The teachers accused the state government and their union leadership, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), of neglect and betrayal, saying their economic struggles were being ignored.
The protest saw teachers converge at the NUT Kwara State Secretariat along Asa Dam Road, carrying placards that voiced their frustration. Many highlighted the worsening economic hardship, pointing to rising costs of living and insufficient salaries. Some of the messages read:
- “Economic hardships of Kwara teachers are escalating daily due to poor payment. Implement 30% peculiar allowance in addition to TSA for teachers now!”
- “We are tired of living on loans just to sustain life. Kwara teachers’ wage payment is far from economic reality of the country. Enough is enough!”
Speaking to SaharaReporters, one protester, Olayinka, said the demonstration was not just aimed at the government, but also the NUT leadership, which she accused of failing to represent teachers’ interests effectively.
“We’re protesting against Kwara NUT leadership for their inaction and complacency. Most especially, the exclusion of teachers from the 30% peculiar allowance which has been paid to other state workers but teachers were exempted,” she said.
Another teacher, who asked not to be named, pointed out the inequality between teachers and other civil servants in the state:
“Yes, the allowance has been approved for others, but without including teachers, we earn less than other civil servants. Compare 27 percent to 30 percent. The 27 percent is not new—it is our statutory right, implemented in other states since 2018. Others got 30 percent this December, while we are still waiting.”
The protest on Friday followed a similar demonstration on December 23, 2025, highlighting the growing frustration of teachers who feel excluded from policies designed to improve workers’ welfare. Protesters sang solidarity songs and marched peacefully to express their grievances, calling for urgent action to address what they described as systemic neglect and economic hardship.
In response, the NUT Kwara State leadership issued a statement distancing itself from the protest, insisting it neither authorized nor endorsed the action. Signed by State Chairman Comrade Yusuf Wahab Agboola and Deputy Secretary-General MONI Mike Modesty Itua, the statement warned:
“Anyone or group that goes on a public protest in Kwara State in the toga of representing public school teachers does so at their own peril.”
The union also commended the state government for approving the Teachers Specific Allowances (TSA) of 27.5% and 21%, describing it as a “thoughtful fulfillment” of union demands.
Analysts say the protests reflect widespread discontent among teachers across Nigeria, particularly in states where allowances and salaries lag behind inflation and economic realities. For many teachers, these allowances are not just benefits—they are crucial to meeting basic living costs, especially in light of Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
As the situation unfolds, attention now turns to whether the Kwara State government will respond to the teachers’ demands or risk escalating unrest in the education sector.
The Friday protest underscores a growing tension between public school teachers, their union, and state authorities, raising questions about labor representation, policy implementation, and the treatment of essential workers in Nigeria.
