Nigerian Education Workers Sustain Protest, Insist Unity Schools Will Remain Shut
By Cynthia Okere, Lagos
The industrial dispute rocking Nigeria’s Federal Unity Colleges has deepened as workers of the Federal Ministry of Education sustained their protest over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, insisting that affected schools will remain shut until their concerns are addressed.
The protesting workers, under the Joint Workers Union, have rejected moves to suspend the industrial action and are demanding the reversal of the proposed concession arrangement as well as greater consultation with workers before major decisions affecting the colleges are implemented.
The protest has disrupted activities at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja and affected the reopening of Federal Unity Colleges for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Government had announced September 14, 2026, as the official resumption date for the colleges, assuring parents, students and staff that arrangements had been made for a smooth reopening. However, workers defied the directive in several schools as the disagreement continued.
At the centre of the dispute is the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association. The unions fear that allowing the arrangement to proceed could set a precedent for similar concessions involving other Federal Unity Colleges and could have implications for workers and access to public education.
Chairman of the Joint Council, Abraham Onuche, said the workers want the concession decision reversed and proper consultations held with relevant stakeholders.
The workers also rejected the suspension of the industrial action announced by the Trade Union Congress, arguing that the TUC did not have the mandate of the unions directly involved in the protest.
Beyond the concession dispute, the unions have raised other concerns, including staff welfare and career progression, although they say resolving the King’s College controversy remains their immediate priority.
The impact of the dispute is already being felt outside Abuja. Federal Unity Colleges in several states failed to reopen as scheduled, leaving some students and parents unable to begin the new academic session. Reports from Rivers, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states confirmed disruption to resumption.
The workers have maintained that the protest will continue until the Government addresses their demands, raising uncertainty over when normal academic activities will fully resume across the affected Federal Unity Colleges.