The leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has warned the Federal Government against any plan to concession or privatise the nation’s 120 Federal Government Colleges, popularly known as Unity Colleges.
The union also vowed to seek legal redress if the proposal is implemented.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, the National Vice President of the union, Comrade Olubunmi Fajobi, said the proposed concession would make the schools inaccessible to children from low-income families and threaten the jobs of thousands of workers.
Fajobi stated that the union remains firmly opposed to handing over the colleges to private investors or old students’ associations, stressing that Unity Colleges are national assets established to promote integration and should remain under government ownership.
He argued that organisations interested in operating secondary schools should establish their own institutions rather than take over existing public schools.
“If old students’ associations wish to own schools, they should establish new ones and contribute to the development of existing Unity Colleges instead of taking over government-owned institutions,” he said.
According to him, past privatisation of public assets has failed to deliver the expected benefits, warning that private operators may struggle to sustain the level of investment required to maintain the schools while keeping education affordable.
The union recalled that it had earlier issued a statement on July 1, 2026, opposing the proposed concession of the colleges under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
ASCSN said it was compelled to address the media again following claims by the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) that the school had been concessioned to the association.
The union questioned the proposed arrangement, asking what provisions had been made for the welfare of students and staff if the schools are eventually handed over to private operators.
Fajobi also recalled that a similar attempt to privatise Unity Colleges during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 was successfully resisted through protests, industrial actions, advocacy, and court actions until the plan was abandoned.
He noted that the matter was eventually resolved in 2010 under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, when the junior secondary school components were restored, preserving the Unity School system.
The ASCSN maintained that the colleges were established to foster national unity by bringing together students from diverse ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds, warning that converting them into profit-driven ventures would undermine that objective.
The union further cautioned that privatisation could lead to massive job losses among teachers and other staff, while making quality education unaffordable for millions of Nigerian families.
Beyond the issue of Unity Colleges, the union urged the Federal Government to improve the welfare of public servants by creating more directorate-level positions across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to address career stagnation. It also called for additional palliative measures to cushion the impact of the country’s economic challenges on workers.
Fajobi appealed to political leaders, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, as well as other stakeholders, to support efforts to preserve Unity Colleges as symbols of national integration.
He reiterated that while the union remains open to dialogue and constructive engagement, it will not hesitate to pursue legal action if the proposed concession is not halted.
“As a law-abiding and responsible trade union, we will continue to engage the government constructively. However, if all efforts fail, we will be compelled to explore other lawful options, including approaching the courts,” he said.