Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The reopening of 112 Federal Unity Colleges across Nigeria is facing uncertainty as workers in the institutions move to enforce a “No Resumption” directive over the Federal Government’s planned concession of some schools.
The dispute centres on the government’s proposed 35-year concession of King’s College, Lagos, to its Old Boys Association, a move that has drawn opposition from workers under the Federal Ministry of Education.
About 17,000 education officers at the ministry’s headquarters and the affected unity colleges are expected to participate in the planned protest and industrial action, according to a source familiar with the development.
The source said 112 of the 115 Federal Unity Colleges had complied with the workers’ directive, with only Federal Government College, Kwali; Federal Government College, Okposi; and Federal Government College, Otobi, admitting some students who had travelled long distances to resume.
The Joint Workers Committee of Unions in the ministry had, at the weekend, directed workers in the colleges not to resume until further notice.
In a notice dated September 11, 2026, and addressed to principals and union chairmen of the Federal Unity Colleges, the committee reaffirmed its earlier directive and instructed union leaders to ensure compliance.
The JWC said any instruction by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, directing the schools to reopen would not change its position unless the matter was first resolved through the established labour-management process.
The committee said, “any purported press release, counter directive, or subsequent communication” from the minister directing resumption would not alter its position unless the dispute was appropriately addressed through the labour-management channel.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, which represents teachers and other workers in the affected institutions, also directed its members not to report for the weekend checking-in of boarding students.
The directive was reportedly complied with across the affected colleges.
The union also raised concerns over the availability of textbooks, questioning the preparedness of the schools for the new academic session.
The notice was signed by JWC Chairman, Onuche Abraham; ASCSN Chairman, Ngadi Sampson; Nigeria Civil Service Union Chairman, Ojelabi Ademola; and Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, Ejike George.
However, the Federal Government has maintained that the colleges will reopen as scheduled on Monday, September 14.
The Minister of Education, through the Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, assured students, parents and guardians that necessary arrangements had been made for a safe and orderly commencement of the new academic session.
Alausa said the safety and wellbeing of students and staff remained a priority of the Federal Government.
The minister added that relevant security agencies had been informed of the resumption plans and had placed the Federal Unity Colleges and their surrounding areas under heightened security surveillance.
The government said the coordinated security arrangements were aimed at protecting students, staff and members of the school communities as academic activities resume nationwide.