Workers in 115 Federal Unity Colleges have vowed to keep the schools closed. This action has now led to widespread Unity colleges shutdown across the country. This is despite the Federal Government’s directive that students and staff resume for the new academic session.
According to The PUNCH, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and other education-sector unions said their withdrawal of services would continue. This will go on until the government suspends the concession of King’s College, Lagos, to its old boys’ association, and the Unity colleges shutdown comes to an end.
The development comes as schools across Nigeria reopen today for the 2026/2027 academic session. However, the ongoing Unity colleges shutdown has disrupted plans for students and staff to return.
Union officials said students would not be allowed to resume at the affected colleges. This will continue while workers remained away from their duties.
King’s College deal fuels dispute
The dispute followed a government directive. The directive transferred responsibility for financing, rehabilitating, operating and maintaining King’s College to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association. As a result, the Unity colleges shutdown has become a point of national discussion.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa has rejected claims that the school was sold or privatised.
“This concession is not a sale of King’s College,” Alausa said.
He maintained that the Federal Government retained legal ownership and oversight of the 117-year-old institution.
Workers reject government position
The unions argue that allowing the arrangement to proceed could create a precedent for other Federal Unity Colleges.
“The gates of all Federal Unity Colleges remain firmly shut,” the workers said.
King’s College Parent-Teacher Association chairman Peter Oluwaleye also said parents had been informed. They were told that students would not resume until further notice.
The dispute has now expanded beyond King’s College. Furthermore, labour officials are threatening further action at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja.
The government maintains that the concession is intended to improve the school’s infrastructure. At the same time, it is meant to preserve its public status and existing admission policies.
