Falana Bemoans Neglect of Basic Education, as States Fail to Access Over N97bn UBEC Funds
Femi Falana, a senior lawyer and human rights advocate, has strongly criticized state governments for neglecting basic education, which has led to a significant number of out-of-school children in the country. The estimated number of out-of-school children is a staggering 20 million. Falana obtained a document from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) that revealed many state governments and the Federal Capital Territory had refused to access over N97 billion from the Universal Basic Education Commission Fund.
The UBEC document, signed by Mrs. Ademola S.A, Legal Adviser, showed that several states failed to access their matching grants from 2021 to 2025. In 2021, Imo state was the only one to fail to access its grant of N946,646,664.48. In 2022, Imo and Ogun States did not access N1,204,452,353.76 each. In 2023, Imo and Ogun refused to access N1,395,784,959.14 each, while Rivers State did not access N697,892,479.57, and Niger State had 237,312.90 un-accessed funds.
For 2024, Abia, Imo, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, and Rivers States failed to access N3,554,642,584.46 each. Ekiti State still had N54,642,584.46 un-accessed, while the FCT had N1,522,793,887.46 un-accessed. In 2025, only 15 states had accessed their funds. Falana cited the provisions of the Child's Rights Act and the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, both of which guarantee free and mandatory education for children at primary and junior secondary levels across the country.
The refusal of state governments to access over N97 billion from the Universal Basic Education Commission Fund is a clear indication of their lack of commitment to providing quality education to Nigerian children. Femi Falana's criticism of the "ruling class" for neglecting the educational needs of children from low-income families is a stark reality that needs to be addressed urgently. The estimated 20 million out-of-school children in the country is a direct consequence of this neglect, and it is high time that the government takes concrete steps to bridge the gap in access to basic education.
