The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has directed its members to shut down all Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Ministry of Education offices nationwide from Monday, September 14, 2026, until further notice.
The directive was contained in a memo dated September 11 and signed by the association’s chairman at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters, Sampson Chigozie Ngadi.
The order is the latest escalation of the union’s opposition to the concession of King’s College, Lagos, to its Old Boys Association under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
The memo, addressed to all unit chairmen of ASCSN in Federal Unity Colleges across the country, directed them to enforce the decision reached at an earlier congress.
“Sequel to the earlier held Congress of the Union where members took a stand on the reversal of the sale of Unity Schools, we are all directed to ensure compliance of the Congress by ensuring that all Unity Colleges are shut down till further notice,” it read.
The union also rejected alleged threats and intimidation against its members, insisting that such actions would not stop it from pursuing its demands.
“Please note that the threats and intimidation to workers are not in any way going to deter the Union from doing what is right and we would not be intimidated by the Honourable Minister in any way. As matters concerning the Union concern everyone,” the memo stated.
It further directed that all Federal Ministry of Education offices, including the headquarters, and all schools should remain closed from Monday.
“Please be reminded that all offices of the Federal Ministry of Education from the Federal Ministry of Education Headquarters and all schools remain shut from Monday, 14th September, 2026 till further notice,” it stated.
Ngadi directed the unit chairmen to ensure full compliance and immediate implementation of the order in their respective colleges, while keeping the union secretariat informed of developments.
The memo ended with a call for solidarity among members.
“Let us remain resolute and united in the defence of our Unity Schools and the interest of all members. Solidarity forever!” it added.
The dispute dates back to July, when the Federal Government approved the concession of King’s College, Lagos, one of Nigeria’s oldest unity schools, to its Old Boys Association.
The school was subsequently handed over to the association’s management on September 7 under the PPP arrangement.
ASCSN had earlier written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, jointly signed by its national president, Shehu Mohammed, and secretary-general, Joshua Apebo, warning that the concession could undermine the unity schools system.
The union also cautioned that the arrangement could make quality public secondary education inaccessible to millions of Nigerian children and open the way for the country’s remaining 119 Federal Government Colleges to be taken over by “political elites and their stooges.”
Workers under the Joint Workers Union, comprising ASCSN and four other unions, had previously shut down the ministry’s headquarters and threatened to close all 115 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide if the concession was not reversed.
The King’s College unit of ASCSN also vowed to keep the school closed until the concession was undone.
Its chairman, Samuel Enang, said, “We have totally rejected the concession because we were employed by the Federal Government.”
Parents have also opposed the arrangement, with the Parent Teacher Association of Unity Colleges in the South-West stating that public schools “are not meant to be commercialised.”
However, at least one other unity college, Queens College, Yaba, continued registration for the new academic session as of last week, pending directives from Abuja.
The nationwide shutdown comes three days before the scheduled resumption of the new school term and is expected to affect the operations of the 120 Federal Unity Colleges and education ministry offices across the country.
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