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Nigeria Rules Out Sale Of King’s College, Unity Colleges

by admin on | 2026-09-17 13:42:16

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Nigeria Rules Out Sale Of King’s College, Unity Colleges

The Nigerian Government has confirmed that it will not proceed with the sale of King’s College, Lagos, nor any Federal Unity Colleges across the country. The proposed management arrangement for King’s College will not result in an increase in tuition fees or job losses among teachers.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, provided this assurance during a press briefing in Abuja, addressing the controversy surrounding the management proposal involving the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA). Dr Alausa emphasised that there are no plans to extend this arrangement to other Unity Colleges, reinforcing that the Federal Government will maintain full responsibility for these institutions.

“Let me be unequivocal: the Federal Government is not selling any Unity College. The intention of the Federal Government, particularly through the Federal Ministry of Education, is to retain ownership of all Unity Colleges,” asserted Alausa.

The minister explained that the proposed collaboration with KCOBA aims to mobilise additional resources for the rehabilitation and modernisation of King’s College while ensuring government ownership is preserved. This initiative arises from the pressing need to address the extensive deterioration of infrastructure at the institution and to restore its historical standards.

During an unannounced visit to King’s College, Dr Alausa observed substandard conditions in hostels, bathrooms, classrooms, laboratories, and other facilities. He noted the college’s persistent electricity issues and subsequently contacted the relevant electricity distribution company, leading to the restoration of power in the Senior Secondary School section.

Alausa also expressed security concerns regarding the use of portions of the school premises as a paid parking facility, indicating that unrestricted public access poses risks to the safety of students. He directed the cancellation of this arrangement.

KCOBA has expressed a willingness to make significant investments in the institution through a non-profit foundation, committing to uphold merit-based admissions policies while ensuring equitable access for students from across the nation. The association claims to have invested over N2 billion in enhancing the college's infrastructure over the years.

The minister acknowledged the substantial funding gap faced by the government in rehabilitating the country’s 115 Federal Unity Colleges, emphasising that the accumulated infrastructure deficit could not be addressed solely by government funding. “President Bola Tinubu is committed to investing in infrastructure, including education; however, the challenges resulting from 40 years of neglect have created a significant infrastructure gap,” he stated, estimating that even N2 trillion would prove insufficient to meet the infrastructure needs of all Unity Colleges.

To supplement government funding, Dr Alausa informed that the Federal Government has obtained approval to repurpose approximately $20 million from a World Bank-supported initiative for the comprehensive rehabilitation of selected Unity Colleges. Approximately 20 schools will benefit from this intervention, which is expected to encompass institutions nationwide.

The minister highlighted that the estimated cost of rehabilitating Unity Colleges in the South-West alone is nearly N100 billion, necessitating the exploration of additional funding avenues without transferring ownership of these institutions.

Addressing concerns surrounding tuition fees, Alausa reiterated that the arrangement with King’s College would not lead to any increase in fees. He explained that the agreement will be governed by stringent Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) established to protect the interests of the government and the students.

Furthermore, he disclosed that the Ministry of Education has established an implementation and monitoring team to conduct unannounced inspections of the school to ensure adherence to the agreement's terms. The government remains open to dialogue with unions and will consider legitimate concerns that add value to the arrangement.

In addition, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, affirmed that no teacher will lose their employment as a consequence of the King’s College arrangement. Affected teachers have been offered the option to indicate their preferred redeployment, in accordance with the Public Service Rules. The government is also implementing capacity-building programs for teachers as part of broader efforts to enhance the quality of education in Unity Colleges and other schools. A committee has been established to review the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and address concerns raised by stakeholders.