A media support group for Nigeria’s president has praised the federal basic education agency for disbursing ₦100bn in unaccessed funds to states to upgrade primary and secondary schools.
The Tinubu Media Volunteers (TMV) commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) after the agency released the funds despite several state governments failing to provide their required counterpart funding.
Under the scheme, states are typically required to provide a 40% matching contribution to access federal grants designed to improve basic school infrastructure across the country.
Infrastructure drive under new blueprint
In a joint statement issued by group chairman Chukwudi Enekwechi and secretary Segun Ogedengbe, the group pointed to the early successes of UBEC’s 2025–2031 strategic plan outlining key infrastructure achievements:
- Classrooms: Construction of 4,600 new classrooms and renovation of over 6,100 existing structures.
- Sanitation & Water: Provision of 2,780 toilets and 678 boreholes across primary schools nationwide.
- Furnishings: Distribution of 334,000 pieces of school furniture.
UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba previously unveiled the milestones during an official briefing in Abuja, citing institutional reforms aimed at improving data-driven decision-making and project monitoring.
Unprecedented waiver for sub-nationals
The group described the decision to unlock the funds without state counterpart contributions as an “unprecedented gesture” by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to tackle educational deficits.
“We applaud the federal government through UBEC for the release of the funds despite the inability of the affected states to fulfill their own side of the bargain,” the statement read, adding that the intervention reflects a commitment to protecting the education of future generations.
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