UBEC Reports Over N267 Billion in Unspent Education Funds

As of August 2026, more than N267 billion in basic education intervention funds released by the federal government remained unspent, raising concerns among stakeholders in Nigeria. Dr Aisha Garba, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), emphasized that this unutilized amount reflects a lack of commitment from state leaders towards children's education.

For nearly two decades, UBEC has reported unaccessed funds, including N50 billion in 2010, N80.9 billion in 2015, and N263 billion as of December 2024. Currently, about nine states have not fully accessed these funds due to their failure to provide the required counterpart funding.

The UBEC was established in 1999 to administer funds to all 36 states to enhance primary education. State governments must match federal grants for primary education expenditures, yet many states, including Abia, Ogun, and Imo, have not utilized the funds, leading to poor educational conditions for children.