By Gabriel Ameh
The Federal Government has clarified that King’s College, Lagos, has not been sold or privatised, saying the institution remains publicly owned and that legal ownership remains with the government.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, made the clarification while explaining the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession agreement involving the Federal Government and the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA).
Alausa said the agreement allows KCOBA to finance, rehabilitate, modernise, operate and maintain the 117-year-old institution, while the Federal Government retains legal title and its statutory powers over regulation, monitoring, inspection and enforcement.
“Let me assure Nigerians, particularly the King’s College community, that this concession is not a sale of King’s College,” the minister said.
According to him, the arrangement is intended to mobilise the investment and management capacity needed to improve the school’s infrastructure and ensure its long-term sustainability.
The minister said the concession went through technical, economic, financial, legal, environmental and social assessments, as well as value-for-money and fiscal impact assessments, before receiving the necessary regulatory and Federal Executive Council approvals.
He stressed that the agreement protects the public character and national identity of King’s College and does not transfer ownership or create proprietary interests in favour of KCOBA.
Admissions to Remain Under Government Framework
Alausa also assured stakeholders that admissions into the school would continue under applicable Unity College policies, with emphasis on merit, transparency, fairness and national representation.
He said the admission framework would continue to provide for equitable representation from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, subject to applicable merit requirements.
For JSS1 admission, the minister said the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) would remain central to the prescribed entry process.
No Automatic School Fee Increase
The minister further clarified that the concession agreement does not prescribe an automatic increase in school fees.
However, he noted that the agreement also does not establish a permanent freeze on fees.
He explained that the primary objective of the concession is to address King’s College’s significant infrastructure and operational needs and secure the institution’s sustainability.
KCOBA to Fund Major Infrastructure Projects
Under the agreement, KCOBA is expected to finance and implement major rehabilitation and development projects across the school.
The projects are expected to cover academic and administrative buildings, hostels, staff quarters, laboratories, libraries, dining facilities, health facilities, utilities, sports and recreational facilities, landscaping, drainage and environmental works.
The programme also includes new classrooms, laboratories and hostels, alongside improved learning resources and digital tools.
Alausa said the government’s intention was not simply to preserve King’s College’s historic legacy but to strengthen the institution for future generations.
Government Retains Oversight
The minister said the concession does not remove government oversight of the school.
According to him, the agreement provides for measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), infrastructure and asset-condition standards, academic and student-development targets, reporting requirements, audits, inspections and independent verification.
The Federal Government, he added, retains corrective and step-in powers in cases of persistent underperformance or serious contractual breaches.
KCOBA is also restricted from selling, transferring or disposing of concession assets without the required approvals, while asset stripping and deterioration beyond agreed standards are prohibited.
Staff Welfare Protected Under Transition Framework
On concerns about teachers and other workers, Alausa said the agreement contains a Staff Transition and Protection Framework designed to ensure an orderly transition while protecting staff welfare and maintaining essential school services.
He said employment obligations, liabilities, arrears, pensions, gratuities and other staff entitlements arising before the transition would remain the responsibility of the Federal Government unless expressly assumed by KCOBA.
After the transition, KCOBA would take responsibility for relevant operating expenses, including salaries, benefits and allowances for personnel engaged under the project, in line with applicable contracts and laws.
The minister said the agreement does not provide for a conventional monetary concession fee. Instead, KCOBA’s obligations include capital investment, operational funding, infrastructure modernisation, institutional strengthening and measurable performance.
Alausa urged stakeholders to assess the concession based on its implementation, transparency and measurable outcomes, particularly improvements in infrastructure, academic performance, admissions, staff welfare, student safety and the use of project funds.
He assured Nigerians that the government would continue monitoring the agreement and hold all parties to their contractual obligations.
“King’s College is a national heritage institution. The objective is not merely to preserve its past, but to build an institution worthy of its history, strengthened for the present and equipped for the future,” the minister said.
