President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved and commenced the payment of long-delayed salary arrears to over 1,700 teachers and education officers recruited into Federal Unity Colleges between 2019 and 2021, finally ending a six-year ordeal that left many educators stranded and financially distressed.
The arrears, which cover a backlog of three years, bring to a close a problem that spanned multiple administrations and consistently fell through bureaucratic cracks. For the affected teachers, this marks the first real breakthrough after years of unanswered letters, stalled approvals, and repeated assurances that led nowhere.
The Tinubu administration framed the payment as part of its commitment to fairness, proper governance, and the restoration of dignity within the public service. The teachers, who staged a public protest at the Federal Ministry of Education in 2023 after previous administrations failed to act, had long insisted that their recruitment, documentation, and posting followed due process and that the refusal to pay them was both unjust and demoralizing.
This administration moved the matter forward by coordinating the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General, and the Budget Office, ensuring that the long-pending liabilities were finally cleared.
Bobby Mark Winful, speaking on behalf of the Coordination Team for Salary Arrears Officers (2018–2020 Sets), confirmed the development and commended the Federal Government for keeping its word. He described the payments as “financial relief and a testimony of collective perseverance, unity, and faith,” noting that the closure of this chapter has brought renewed hope to teachers who had borne the brunt of the delay.
Beyond the numbers, the payment sends a message: government promises can, and should, be kept. For teachers who serve as the backbone of Nigeria’s education system, this move restores confidence, boosts morale, and allows them to face their work with renewed focus.
This outcome also aligns with President Tinubu’s wider education reform agenda, which prioritizes improved welfare, stricter oversight of recruitment processes, and a more stable, modern learning environment across the Federal Unity Colleges.