The Universal Basic Education Commission has unlocked over ₦100bn in previously unaccessed matching grants for states and the Federal Capital Territory, in a move expected to accelerate investment in school infrastructure, teacher development and digital learning across Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, announced the development on Thursday during a media luncheon with education correspondents in Abuja.
She said the funds, which had remained inaccessible for years because several states failed to meet the requirements for accessing the matching grants, had now been mobilised to strengthen basic education under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Garba explained that the intervention formed part of the commission’s 2025–2031 Strategic Blueprint, designed to improve access to quality education, enhance teaching standards and reduce the number of out-of-school children.
According to her, the commission has already constructed more than 4,600 classrooms and renovated over 6,100 others nationwide through the intervention.
She added that UBEC had provided 2,780 toilet facilities, drilled 678 boreholes and supplied more than 334,000 pieces of classroom furniture to improve the learning environment in public schools.
The commission has also established about 2,300 Early Childhood Care Development and Education Centres to expand access to foundational education across the country.
Garba disclosed that UBEC had invested over ₦20.4bn in teachers’ professional development, describing quality teaching as critical to improving learning outcomes.
She said the commission was equally expanding Digital Literacy Centres and Smart Schools while promoting the teaching of artificial intelligence, coding and robotics to equip pupils with skills for the evolving digital economy.
The UBEC boss further revealed that over 7.8 million instructional materials had been distributed to schools nationwide, alongside the expansion of open schooling, girl-child education and inclusive education programmes to improve access for disadvantaged children.
She added that the commission had strengthened its institutional framework by introducing reforms aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability and effective monitoring of projects.
Garba called on journalists to continue supporting education reforms through accurate and balanced reporting, saying the media remained an indispensable partner in promoting accountability and public confidence in the education sector.
“Today, UBEC is writing a new chapter in basic education. Guided by our 2025–2031 Strategic Blueprint, we are moving beyond reforms to deliver measurable results that are improving schools, empowering teachers and expanding opportunities for millions of Nigerian children,” she said.
She maintained that the commission’s long-term strategy would strengthen teacher capacity, deepen digital learning and ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality basic education, regardless of location or background.
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