NLC rejects King's College concession, warns other unity colleges could be next

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has opposed the proposed concession of King's College, Lagos, warning that the arrangement could set a precedent for the concession of other Federal unity colleges.

The congress raised the alarm in a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in Abuja. It said other unity colleges could later be handed to entities it described as lacking the capacity to manage secondary education.

Fees and access worry the NLC

Ajaero said the concession plan had already drawn protests from various groups opposed to the arrangement. The NLC said the deal could lead to higher fees and tariffs, potentially making the unity colleges less accessible to students from average-income families.

According to the labour leader, protests in the preceding week targeted attempts by government to concession the management of King's College, Lagos, to the school's alumni as a pilot for the possible concession of more unity colleges. He said the old students' association was seeking to take over management because of years of neglect, underfunding, corruption, indiscipline and deteriorating services. Those conditions, he said, had turned what was once a pride of the nation into an "eyesore and disgrace."

Ajaero said the old students' bid was motivated by concern about restoring the school's former standard, but argued the arrangement could create risks for government-owned secondary schools.

He said, "However, buried in this noble initiative lurks grave danger for our secondary school education under the superintendency of government. Once the Kings College Old Boys initiative succeeds, relying on precedent, other Unity Colleges will be concessioned to nebulous entities, entities of doubtful origin without the capacity to manage secondary school education."

The NLC also expressed concern that new school fees and tariffs could eventually place the colleges beyond the reach of students from average families, regardless of their academic ability.

Education remains government's duty, NLC insists

The congress maintained that educating citizens remains an obligation of government and said the responsibility should not be abdicated through concession arrangements.

It noted that government had previously taken over schools acquired from the missions and subsequently returned them, arguing that the experience held lessons for the management and funding of secondary education. The NLC said the return of the mission schools meant the burden of maintaining secondary-level education was assumed to be considerably less.

It argued that government funding of schools remains common even in advanced economies, including the funding of a number of universities.

The association endorsed the protests against the proposed concession of King's College and other Federal unity colleges. It urged government to adequately fund and maintain the colleges because of their contributions to the country's history and society, and called for sustained open competition among missionary, private and government schools rather than concessioning the Federal unity colleges.

Unions reject TUC's suspension of action

Some unions under the Joint Workers Council of the Federal Ministry of Education had rejected the suspension of industrial action announced by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), insisting the concession of King's College, Lagos, must be reversed.

The unions said the TUC was not directly involved in their protest or negotiations with the Federal Ministry of Education, and questioned its decision to suspend an action in which it did not participate. They barricaded the entrance to the ministry's headquarters to prevent officials and other workers from accessing the premises, saying the action was meant to draw attention to what they considered a critical threat to the future of the Federal Unity Colleges.

The dispute remains focused on the proposed management arrangement for King's College and the wider implications organised labour associates with the concession of other Federal unity colleges. For parents and students, the immediate question is whether fees at the colleges will rise, and how far government intends to push the concession model across the unity school system.