By Sola Ojewusi & Peter Omopo | October 6, 2025
Teachers across Nigeria have renewed calls for improved welfare, full implementation of the 65-year retirement age, and enhanced working conditions as the nation joined the global community to commemorate the 2025 World Teachers’ Day.
At celebrations held nationwide on Sunday, teachers’ unions, education stakeholders, and state governors highlighted the critical role of teachers in nation-building while lamenting the persistent neglect of welfare policies, poor remuneration, and the slow implementation of statutory reforms.
Unions Demand Policy Action and Investment
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) disclosed that 16 states are yet to implement the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022, which raised the retirement age to 65 years or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever comes first.
The affected states include Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, and Sokoto.
At the NUT headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara State, the union’s chairman, Comrade Yusuf Agboola, decried the government’s failure to implement the retirement age policy and rural allowances, urging authorities to “match words with action” in addressing teachers’ welfare.
He, however, commended the state government for the regular payment of salaries and the recruitment of over 3,000 new teachers across public schools.
In Oyo State, NUT Chairman Comrade Raji Ismail lauded Governor Seyi Makinde for clearing long-standing promotions, paying salaries promptly, and appointing a teacher as head of the state’s Post-Primary Teaching Service Commission. He urged the government to address inadequate school infrastructure and boost teacher training.
NUT National President, Comrade Audu Amba, in a goodwill message read nationwide, called for increased funding for education, stressing that “without deliberate investment in teachers, the future of education is at risk.”
“Governments must increase budgetary allocation to education and create a conducive learning atmosphere to ensure quality outcomes,” Amba said, praising teachers for their resilience and patriotism despite the odds.
Governors Honour Teachers, Pledge Support
Governors across several states used the occasion to celebrate teachers and reaffirm their commitment to education reforms.
In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo described teachers as “nation builders and architects of the country’s future,” pledging to improve their working conditions and equip schools with modern tools.
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, represented by his deputy Noimot Salako-Oyedele, commended teachers for their “immeasurable contributions to human capital development,” promising continued investment in infrastructure and welfare.
In Katsina, Governor Dikko Radda reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to teacher training, digital learning tools, and infrastructure upgrades, describing teachers as the “cornerstone of educational development.”
Similarly, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, hailed teachers as “partners in shaping the minds and values of future generations,” adding that his administration continues to invest in capacity-building and school improvement programmes.
In Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji announced plans to increase science teachers’ allowances and clear outstanding leave bonuses, while approving the 65-year retirement policy for teachers who opt to continue in service.
“This administration will ensure that every outstanding welfare issue is addressed as soon as practicable,” Oyebanji assured during the celebration in Ado Ekiti, where he also presented cash awards to outstanding teachers.
Private Schools, Academics Join Calls for Reform
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (Ogbomoso North Chapter) called for relief from what it termed “excessive taxation,” noting that an annual 25% hike in personal income tax was stifling school operations and teachers’ welfare.
Chairman Wale Ojewumi urged governments to provide financial support and tax incentives for private schools, which he said complement the public sector in expanding access to education.
Meanwhile, Dr. Vincent Paul, a senior lecturer at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, urged authorities to address poor working conditions, including the lack of basic facilities for teachers in rural schools.
“Despite inadequate recognition, teachers have remained steadfast in their duty to shape minds and build a brighter future,” Paul stated, after visiting his retired primary school teacher to mark the occasion.
Background: The 65-Year Retirement Policy
The Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2022, was designed to improve teachers’ welfare, encourage retention, and make the profession more attractive.
Besides increasing the retirement age, the law also introduced bursary awards, rural posting allowances, and other incentives aimed at motivating teachers and addressing educational inequality.
However, implementation has lagged across many states, a situation teachers’ unions say continues to undermine morale and the broader goal of educational reform.
As Nigeria marked World Teachers’ Day 2025, the call for full implementation of the policy, better remuneration, and stronger investment in public education echoed across the nation — a reminder that, for many educators, recognition must go beyond rhetoric to tangible action.
