The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has said that more than N65 billion in counterpart funds and about N267 billion in previously released intervention funds for basic education remain unutilised.
The commission said the development was undermining efforts to improve learning outcomes, urging state governments to ensure that education funds were accessed and effectively deployed.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, disclosed this on Thursday at the opening of the commission’s 30th Quarterly Meeting with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in Asaba, Delta State.
The four-day meeting, themed “Repositioning Basic Education in Nigeria to Optimise Investment and Impact,” is focused on ensuring that investments in basic education translate into measurable improvements in teaching, learning and access.
Garba said accessing intervention funds was only part of the responsibility of state governments, stressing that the resources could not improve education while lying unused in accounts.
“Accessing funds is only part of the responsibility before us. These resources cannot improve education while they remain in accounts,” she said.
She urged states to strengthen their capacity to plan, implement and monitor education projects, adding that the success of funding should be measured by its impact on learners rather than the number of projects completed.
Garba also called on governors to increase funding for education, noting that federal intervention alone could not meet the needs of Nigeria’s estimated 40 million school-age children.
Under the Universal Basic Education framework, states are required to provide 50 per cent counterpart funding to access federal matching grants.
However, failure by some states to meet the requirement has left billions of naira unaccessed.
As of March 18, 2026, unaccessed UBEC funds stood at N97.88 billion, with N68.1 billion recorded in 2025 alone.
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said his administration considered education a key pillar of its MORE Agenda, stressing that investment must translate into better opportunities for children.
Stakeholders at the meeting called for stronger accountability and cooperation among UBEC, SUBEBs, development partners and communities to ensure education funds produce meaningful results.
News Credit to our media partner Daily Trust .
