Academic activities in Nigeria’s Federal Unity Colleges face disruption as workers’ unions move to enforce a no-resumption directive over the Federal Government’s plan to concession some of the schools.
The Joint Workers Committee of Unions in the Federal Ministry of Education has directed workers in the colleges not to resume for the first term of the 2026/2027 academic session, despite the ministry’s position that all Federal Unity Colleges will reopen today, September 14.
The dispute centres largely on the government’s plan to concession King’s College, Lagos, to the school’s Old Boys Association under a 35-year arrangement. The proposal has met opposition from workers’ unions in the Federal Ministry of Education, who have demanded that the matter be addressed through the appropriate labour-management process.
In a notice dated September 11, 2026, and addressed to principals and unit chairmen of the Federal Unity Colleges, the JWC reaffirmed its earlier directive that workers should not resume until further notice.
The committee also directed union leaders across the colleges to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
It maintained that any instruction from the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, directing the schools to reopen would not alter the unions’ position unless the dispute was first resolved through the established labour-management channel.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, which represents teachers and other workers in the affected institutions, had also directed its members not to report for the weekend checking-in of boarding students.
The directive was reportedly observed, further raising concerns about the readiness of the colleges to receive students for the new academic session.
The union also cited shortages of textbooks among the issues affecting the preparedness of the schools.
The JWC notice was signed by its 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.
The development has put the workers’ unions on a collision course with the Federal Ministry of Education, which has maintained that the colleges will reopen as scheduled.
The ministry, through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, had earlier announced that all Federal Unity Colleges would resume academic activities on September 14.
In its latest position, the ministry reaffirmed that the schools would reopen today, assuring students, parents and guardians that adequate arrangements had been made for a safe and orderly commencement of the academic session.
Alausa said the safety and wellbeing of students and staff remained a priority of the Federal Government and assured school communities that necessary measures had been put in place ahead of resumption.
The minister also said relevant security agencies had been informed of the resumption arrangements and were maintaining heightened vigilance around the colleges and their immediate environments.
According to the ministry, the coordinated security measures are intended to protect students, staff and other members of the school communities as academic activities resume nationwide.
The conflicting positions have created uncertainty over the extent to which the unions’ directive could affect teaching, boarding arrangements and other academic activities in the colleges as the new session begins.
While the ministry expects the institutions to reopen as scheduled, the unions’ decision to maintain their no-resumption directive could result in disruptions in some colleges if the dispute is not resolved.
