The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has announced that more than ₦100 billion in previously dormant basic education funds has now been unlocked, enabling over 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to access resources for critical investments in public primary and junior secondary education.
The development marks a significant breakthrough in Nigeria’s effort to improve basic education financing after years in which billions of naira allocated for school development remained unutilised because many states failed to meet the counterpart funding requirements needed to access the grants.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, disclosed the achievement during the Commission’s 29th Quarterly Meeting with Chairmen of the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in Abuja. She explained that the commission’s reforms, driven by digitisation, stronger collaboration with state governments and data-based planning, have significantly improved access to education funding across the country.
According to Garba, the newly unlocked funds are already supporting interventions that are expanding access to quality education for millions of Nigerian children. She revealed that UBEC’s programmes have reached more than 8.7 million learners nationwide within the past year through investments in infrastructure, learning resources, teacher development and improved school management.
She noted that the commission has also revised its Matching Grant Guidelines to make the process more transparent, efficient and responsive to the needs of states. The reforms are expected to encourage greater participation by state governments while ensuring that available education funds are utilised more effectively for the benefit of learners.
The Executive Secretary stressed that strengthening collaboration between UBEC and State Universal Basic Education Boards remains essential to improving learning outcomes, reducing the number of out-of-school children and accelerating progress in basic education across the federation. She added that digital innovation and better coordination are central to the commission’s long-term strategy for transforming Nigeria’s basic education system.
The latest announcement comes months after reports revealed that nearly ₦98 billion in UBEC grants had remained unaccessed because several states failed to provide the mandatory counterpart funding required under the commission’s financing framework. The recent progress therefore represents a major shift towards ensuring that resources earmarked for classrooms, school infrastructure, instructional materials and teacher support are deployed for educational development.
Education observers believe that sustained access to these funds could improve school infrastructure, expand learning opportunities, strengthen teacher capacity and support ongoing efforts to address Nigeria’s learning crisis, particularly at the foundational level of education. Continued collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments will, however, be critical to ensuring that the available funds translate into measurable improvements in teaching and learning across public basic schools.
