The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has raised serious concern over the non-utilisation of over ₦250 billion in education grants by Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). These matching grants, which are meant to support the improvement of basic education infrastructure and teaching quality, have reportedly been left idle in state accounts.
Speaking during a three-day financial management workshop in Abuja, UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, emphasized the urgency for state governments to make use of the available funds. Represented by the Commission’s Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Rasaq Akinyemi, Garba described the situation as worrisome and a major setback for the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme.
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She revealed that only 25 states and the FCT accessed ₦92.4 billion in UBE matching grants between January and June 2025. While this marks some progress, a significant ₦250 billion still remains unutilised in the accounts of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and the FCT-UBEB.
UBEC also disbursed an additional ₦19 billion for the 2023/2024 Teacher Professional Development (TPD) fund to 32 states and the FCT, along with ₦1.5 billion under the School-Based Management Committee School Improvement Programme (SBMC-SIP) to 1,147 communities nationwide.
Despite these efforts, Garba noted that the real challenge lies not only in accessing these funds but in their timely and efficient utilisation. She called on state governments to take full advantage of the grants, stressing that quality education, improved infrastructure, and enhanced teacher training are impossible without proper fund management.
The financial management training, themed “Efficient and Effective Management of the UBE Intervention Fund,” was designed to equip SUBEB officials with knowledge on the latest templates for action plans, updates on the Nigerian Tax Reforms Act 2025, and strategies to avoid financial infractions.
UBEC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening transparency and accountability in fund usage, ensuring that all allocated resources are used to uplift the basic education sector across Nigeria.
