Abuja Waste Contractors Warn of Strike Over Nine Months of Unpaid Wages

Contractors responsible for cleaning Abuja have threatened to suspend services from September 25 over the non-payment of nine months’ outstanding wages.

The contractors, under the aegis of the Association of FCT Solid Waste and Cleaning Contractors (AFSOWAC), issued the warning in a letter addressed to the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council.

According to the letter, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday, the group said it could no longer guarantee uninterrupted services in the Federal Capital City without urgent payment.

AFSOWAC, which represents contractors managing sanitation across 44 lots in Abuja, noted that its members clear more than 1,000 tonnes of waste daily using over 100 refuse trucks and 60 tippers. The work, it added, engages more than 3,000 staff who rely on the job for survival.

The association explained that contractors had sustained operations by borrowing from formal and informal sources, but said those resources had now been exhausted.

“Despite our loyalty and sustained service delivery, we have not received payments since January 2025,” the group stated. It added that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), which oversees the contracts, had continued to issue daily directives without addressing their financial concerns. It also warned that the delay was already leading to noticeable waste build-up in the city.

AFSOWAC further lamented the poor condition of the Gosa dumpsite, describing it as “deplorable,” and called for urgent intervention to improve access and provide functional equipment.

The group also urged the FCT Administration to fast-track the procurement process it initiated in October 2024, stressing that current payments were based on outdated rates that no longer reflect economic realities such as subsidy removal and naira devaluation.

“We have reached a point where passion and commitment alone cannot sustain this essential service. Without payment, we cannot continue,” the association warned.

AFSOWAC appealed for immediate government action to prevent a disruption of sanitation services, cautioning that any breakdown could endanger public health and safety.