UBEC Decries States’ Inaction Over Unused ₦250B Intervention Funds

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has expressed deep concern over the failure of state governments to utilize more than ₦250 billion allocated for basic education interventions across the country.

Dr. Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary of UBEC, made the revelation on Monday during the inauguration of a three-day Financial Management Training for fund managers from the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The training, which targets Directors of Finance and Accounts, Heads of Internal Audit, and Matching Grant Desk Officers, is aimed at strengthening capacity for effective and accountable management of basic education intervention funds.

Garba lamented that despite efforts to improve access to the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Matching Grant, many state governments are failing to effectively apply the funds towards upgrading school infrastructure and improving teaching and learning conditions nationwide.

“The real issue is not just about accessing the UBE Matching Grant. But also the slow utilization, non-compliance with fund usage guidelines, diversion of funds, and failure to remit taxes or follow due process in contract awards. These are lapses we can no longer ignore.” She said.

She noted that the Commission has initiated reforms to tackle these issues, including a comprehensive review of the fund utilization guidelines, the introduction of a new template for SUBEB Action Plans, and enhanced capacity-building programs for both UBEC and SUBEB personnel.

“These efforts have yielded positive results. Between January and June 2025, ₦92.4 billion in UBE Matching Grants was accessed by 25 states and the FCT.

Additionally, ₦19 billion from the 2023/2024 Teacher Professional Development fund was disbursed to 32 states and the FCT, while ₦1.5 billion was released under the School-Based Management Committee School Improvement Programme to 1,147 communities nationwide.” She said.

Despite these strides, she emphasized that over ₦250 billion still lies idle in the accounts of state SUBEBs and the FCT-UBEB.

“This training is therefore crucial,” she added. “We must address the challenges of delayed access, sluggish fund utilization, and weak oversight. Our goal is to empower fund managers with the skills to ensure timely, transparent, and impactful use of these vital resources.”