The Universal Basic Education Commission has revealed that Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory collectively accessed about ₦605.89bn in matching grants for basic education between 2005 and 2023.

The figures were contained in an official document made available on the commission’s website, showing how funds under the Universal Basic Education intervention scheme were distributed over nearly two decades.

According to the breakdown, states and the FCT received ₦238.51bn between 2005 and 2013, followed by annual allocations in subsequent years, including ₦35.24bn in 2014 and ₦32.44bn in 2015. The pattern continued with varying releases each year up to 2023, when ₦15.47bn was accessed.

The data also highlighted year-by-year utilisation, with allocations peaking above ₦50bn in some years before declining in more recent periods.

At the state level, disbursement figures varied widely depending on participation and counterpart funding commitments. For example, several states such as Borno, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Nasarawa, Ondo, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara each received substantial allocations over the period reviewed, while others recorded slightly lower totals based on eligibility timelines.

The document further showed that Lagos State accessed ₦16.43bn between 2005 and 2022, while the Federal Capital Territory received a similar amount within the same range of years.

The UBEC matching grant scheme is designed to support joint financing of basic education projects between the federal and state governments. States are required to provide counterpart funding before accessing their allocations, which are meant for school construction, renovation, teacher training, and provision of learning materials.

Despite the large sums released over the years, challenges remain in Nigeria’s basic education sector, including overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, and shortages of teaching staff and instructional resources in many public schools.