The Federal Government and organised labour have agreed to a two-week review of the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, easing an escalating dispute that had triggered industrial action across Federal Unity Colleges.
The agreement was reached in Abuja on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, after Education Minister Tunji Alausa met with representatives of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and the Trade Union Congress over objections to the proposed Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
As part of the resolution, a seven-member Joint Review Committee will examine the concession document and propose amendments to address concerns raised by labour and other stakeholders.
The labour union subsequently suspended its industrial action and directed workers in Federal Unity Colleges nationwide to return to work.
The development provides a temporary window for both sides to examine the terms of the proposed arrangement without immediately proceeding with implementation.
The central feature of the agreement is the creation of a seven-member committee involving labour and other stakeholders.
The panel has a maximum of two weeks to scrutinise the concession document submitted by the Federal Ministry of Education and recommend changes where necessary.
The review follows growing opposition to the proposed concession, particularly over questions concerning the future management of the historic Lagos school, the position of existing employees and the role of the Federal Government after the proposed arrangement takes effect.
The agreement gives the parties a defined period to address those issues through negotiation rather than continued industrial action.
Key elements of the agreement include:
- A two-week review of the concession document.
- Establishment of a seven-member Joint Review Committee.
- Suspension of labour’s industrial action.
- Resumption of duties by workers in Federal Unity Colleges.
- An assurance against victimisation of King’s College workers.
- Continued Federal Government legal ownership and oversight of the school.
The review therefore shifts the immediate focus from implementation to negotiations over the terms of the proposed concession.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria announced the suspension of its industrial action following the meeting.
The union had opposed the concession arrangement and participated in protests and actions that disrupted activities within the education sector. The dispute had extended beyond King’s College, with workers at Federal Unity Colleges affected by the industrial action.
ASCSN National President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo signed the statement communicating the suspension.
However, the suspension is not unconditional. The union said it could reactivate the industrial action if the review committee fails to adequately address the concerns raised by labour representatives.
This leaves the two-week review as a critical stage in determining whether the dispute can be resolved through negotiation or whether another confrontation between labour and the government could emerge.
One of the major concerns surrounding the concession has been what it could mean for existing employees of King’s College.
According to ASCSN, the Education Minister assured workers that no staff member would be subjected to retrenchment, demotion or posting as a form of punishment during the review process. Workers would also have the option of deciding whether they wanted to remain at the college.
The Federal Government also clarified that the proposed concession would not amount to a transfer of legal ownership of the institution.
The ministry said the Federal Government would retain 100 per cent legal ownership and oversight of King’s College. It also said public access to the school would continue under existing government policy.
The clarification is significant because opponents of the concession have raised concerns about whether the arrangement could amount to privatisation or a loss of government control.
The government also addressed concerns over the potential financial implications of the concession for students and their families.
The Education Ministry assured labour that school fees would not be increased outside the Federal Government’s existing policy on affordable education applicable to Federal Unity Schools.
The issue of fees is particularly important because opponents of the proposed arrangement have questioned whether a private-sector management model could eventually place additional financial pressure on families.
For the government, the stated position is that the concession would operate without abandoning the Federal Government’s legal ownership of the institution or its policy on affordable access to Federal Unity Schools.
The two-week review will therefore have to examine not only management arrangements but also the practical implications for workers, students and parents.
The latest agreement follows weeks of mounting tension over the proposed King’s College concession.
Workers had protested at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja, while concerns were also raised by parents and other stakeholders over the proposed arrangement. The Guardian reported that workers shut down the ministry during protests on September 15, while unions threatened wider disruption involving Federal Unity Colleges.
The controversy also intensified around the proposed long-term concession arrangement involving the King’s College Old Boys’ Association.
The Federal Government had defended the proposal as a means of improving the institution’s infrastructure and management. On September 16, Alausa said the government remained committed to the concession and maintained that due process had been followed.
The subsequent agreement to pause implementation for two weeks does not, therefore, amount to a final cancellation of the concession.
The immediate task now falls to the Joint Review Committee, which must examine the concession document and attempt to reconcile the government’s objectives with the concerns raised by labour.
The outcome could determine whether the proposed arrangement proceeds in its current form, undergoes amendments or requires further negotiations.
For labour, the suspension of industrial action provides an opportunity to participate directly in the review process while retaining the option of further action if its concerns remain unresolved.
For the Federal Government, the review creates additional time to clarify the structure of the concession and demonstrate how it would preserve public ownership, protect workers and maintain affordable education.
The dispute has also placed wider attention on how the government manages partnerships involving public educational institutions.
For now, King’s College remains at the centre of negotiations between the government and organised labour, with the next two weeks expected to provide clearer indications of the future of the proposed concession.
