Teachers strike over unpaid salaries

In 1981, teachers across Nigeria went on strike to protest months of unpaid salaries during President Shehu Shagari's Second Republic administration. The strike affected public schools nationwide, disrupting education for millions of students. Teachers' unions organized the action as educators faced severe financial hardship, with many unable to meet basic living expenses while waiting for overdue wages.

The strike reflected deeper fiscal problems plaguing the Second Republic government. Nigeria's oil revenues had declined from their 1970s peak, while government spending remained high on ambitious development projects and expanded bureaucracy. State governments, responsible for paying teachers' salaries, found themselves cash-strapped as federal allocations decreased. The situation was worsened by corruption and mismanagement of public funds at various levels of government.