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UBEC Unutilised Education Funds Hit ₦250bn Across States

Published on July 22, 2025

UBEC Unutilised Education Funds top ₦250bn as commission urges states to act swiftly and improve learning outcomes through proper fund utilisation

The UBEC Unutilised Education Funds have climbed to over ₦250 billion, raising concern within the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) over widespread inaction by state governments.

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Dr Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary of UBEC, revealed the figure on Monday at a financial management training held in Abuja.

The funds, disbursed as intervention grants to State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) across Nigeria and the FCT, remain largely untouched.

“This is not just about accessing the matching grants,” said Dr Garba, represented by Deputy Executive Secretary, Razaq Akinyemi. “The real issue lies in how states fail to apply these resources for infrastructure and quality education.”

The training, themed Efficient and Effective Management of UBE Intervention Fund, brought together key finance officials from all 36 states and the FCT. Participants included SUBEB directors of finance, internal auditors and grant desk officers.

Between January and June 2025, UBEC disbursed ₦92.4 billion in matching grants to 25 states and the FCT.

An additional ₦19 billion was released for teacher training, while ₦1.5 billion supported community-based school improvement projects in 1,147 communities nationwide.

Despite this momentum, Garba said poor utilisation persists. She cited issues such as misappropriation, contract irregularities, and non-compliance with UBEC guidelines as major barriers.

“In the first month of my tenure, I personally supervised financial monitoring in the North Central zone,” Garba recalled. “The lapses I witnessed—delays, diversions, tax evasion—cannot be ignored.”

She noted that over ₦250 billion in UBEC Unutilised Education Funds remains idle in the coffers of state boards and the FCT, even as public schools across Nigeria face infrastructure deficits and teacher shortages.

To correct this, UBEC has revised its fund utilisation guidelines and introduced a new action plan template for states. Garba explained that these reforms aim to simplify processes and reinforce accountability.

“This training will equip our fund managers with practical skills to ensure timely, lawful and impactful spending,” she said. “The emphasis now is on oversight and responsibility.”

She stressed that financial success in the education sector cannot be measured solely by budget size. “It’s not how much is released but how well it’s managed that counts,” she added.

Dr Garba urged participants to approach their roles with urgency and openness to reform. “You are custodians of public trust. Every naira must serve the Nigerian child,” she said.