The federal government says King’s College, Lagos, has not been sold or privatised, insisting that the institution remains publicly owned.

The school was concessioned to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

Alausa said under the concession agreement, KCOBA is responsible for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, operating and maintaining the 117-year-old King’s College.

He, however, clarified that the federal government retains legal title to the school as well as its statutory regulatory, monitoring, inspection and enforcement powers.

“Let me assure Nigerians, particularly the King’s College community, that this concession is not a sale of King’s College,” Alausa said.

“Government has retained legal title to the institution and will continue to exercise its oversight responsibilities.”

The minister said the arrangement was designed to mobilise investment and management capacity needed to strengthen the college.

Alausa said the concession was developed under the established PPP framework and subjected to technical, economic, financial, legal, environmental and social assessments, as well as value-for-money and fiscal-impact assessments, before securing the necessary regulatory and federal executive council approvals.

He added that the agreement expressly protects the public character and national identity of the college and does not transfer ownership or create a proprietary interest in favour of KCOBA.

The minister also said admissions would continue to comply with applicable unity-college policies, including merit, transparency, fairness and national representation.

He said the junior secondary school one (JSS1) admission would continue through testing and assessment, with the national common entrance examination (NCEE) remaining central to the prescribed entry framework.

Alausa noted that the agreement does not provide for an automatic increase in school fees, although it does not establish a permanent fee freeze.

He said KCOBA would undertake rehabilitation and new development covering academic and administrative buildings, hostels, staff quarters, laboratories, libraries, dining facilities, health facilities, utilities, sports and recreational facilities, landscaping, drainage and environmental works.

The minister said the agreement also contains a staff transition and protection framework to facilitate an orderly transition while protecting staff welfare and ensuring continuity of essential school services.

According to him, existing employment obligations, liabilities, arrears, pensions, gratuities and other staff-related entitlements arising before the transition remain the responsibility of the federal government unless expressly assumed by KCOBA.

He said KCOBA would assume responsibility for relevant operating expenditure, including salaries, benefits and allowances for personnel engaged under the project after the transition.

Alausa said the federal government would continue to monitor the concession through key performance indicators, infrastructure and asset-condition standards, reporting requirements, audits, inspections and independent verification.

He added that the government retained corrective and step-in powers in cases of persistent underperformance or serious contractual default.

The minister said KCOBA would also be restricted from selling, transferring or disposing of concession assets without the required approvals.

In July, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, president of KCOBA, announced that the federal government had conceded the school to the association, describing it as the dawn of a new era and the commencement of what he called the “King’s College Renaissance”.

The old boys’ association launched a N100 billion endowment fund to reposition the 116-year-old institution.

However, in August, parents and students of King’s College rejected the federal government’s concession of the school to KCOBA.

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