N65bn counterpart funds, N267bn education grants lying idle – UBEC

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) revealed that over N65 billion in counterpart funds and approximately N267 billion in previously released intervention funds for basic education remain unutilised. This situation is hampering efforts to enhance learning outcomes, prompting UBEC to urge state governments to facilitate access and effective deployment of these funds.

Dr Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary of UBEC, highlighted this issue during the commission's 30th Quarterly Meeting held in Asaba, Delta State. The four-day event, themed “Repositioning Basic Education in Nigeria to Optimise Investment and Impact,” focuses on ensuring that investments in basic education lead to tangible improvements in teaching, learning, and access.

Garba emphasized that merely securing intervention funds is not enough; these resources must be actively used to improve education. She urged states to enhance their capacity in planning, implementation, and monitoring of education projects, stressing that the success of funding should be evaluated based on its impact on learners rather than the number of projects undertaken.

Garba also called on governors to boost education funding, stressing that federal assistance alone cannot meet the demands of Nigeria's estimated 40 million school-age children. The Universal Basic Education framework requires states to contribute 50% counterpart funding for federal matching grants, yet non-compliance has resulted in billions of naira remaining unaccessed.

As of March 18, 2026, unaccessed UBEC funds amounted to N97.88 billion, with N68.1 billion of this being recorded in 2025 alone. Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori emphasized that education is a cornerstone of his MORE Agenda, highlighting the need for investments to translate into better opportunities for children. Participants at the meeting advocated for stronger accountability and collaboration among UBEC, SUBEBs, development partners, and communities to ensure that education funds yield meaningful results.