Business
Sanction States Refusing To Access UBEC Funds – NGO
The Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), an NGO, has called on the Federal Government to sanction states that are refusing to access the Universal Basic Education funds.
The organisation made the call during a rally to commemorate the global action week in Abuja, Thursday.
The theme of this year’s event is “Ensuring Accountability for SDG4’’.
National Moderator, CSACEFA, Mr Kabir Alihu, said there was need for necessary reforms in the education sector, adding that these reforms required full utilisation of the UBEC funds for the development of the sector.
Alihu noted that the education budget in 2017 had received tremendous increase and as such should be channelled to appropriate quarters for speedy utilisation.
“From the document made available to us by UBEC, we find out that there are states that have not access the funds from 2011 and 2013.
“ With this we believe there is a problem somewhere, so we feel there should be a disciplinary mechanism and we should make education budget more transparent, more inclusive of the Civil Society Organisations and NGOs.
“By so doing, it will make the government accountable on what whatever they are meant to do,’’ he said.
The national moderator urged the Ministry of Education to review the Act on compulsory free education so as to accommodate all secondary school students, especially those in the Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3).
Alihu highlighted gray areas that the ministry should draw more attention with a view to develop the education system of the country.
He listed some of the areas to include adequate incentive of teachers, accessibility of schools to children, especially the girl child and the less privileged, increase in the education budgetary and planning process among others.
“ The essence of this rally is to commemorate with the global action week. We want the review of the nine year compulsory free education to 12 years to accommodate the senior secondary students.
“ We think that Act should be reviewed to be in line with the SDG 4 to have a quality 12 years education and leaving no one behind.
“There should also be increase funding of education at all level both at the national and state levels,’’ he said.
Also, Mrs Chioma Osuji, Policy Adviser, CSACEFA noted that the N60 million lying fallow with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should be accessed for the development of the education sector.
Osuji added that not accessing these funds would reduce the quality of education and denied many Nigerian children access to quality education.
“As at last month the boss of the UBEC stated that about N60billion is lying fallow in CBN that states have refused to access.
“So, if states are not accessing the funds, how do we deliver and ensure quality education in Nigeria.
“ Millions of children are not accessing education; the schools are in poor state. Money is there just lying fallow as states have refused to access these funds.
“Take for instance, Ebonyi state since 2011 has refused to access these funds and we have issues of education in that state. Kogi state for over 12 to 15 months has refused to pay the teacher’s salary.
Mr Hamzat Lawal, the Chief Executive, Connected Development (CODE), said that holding public officers accountable in the utilisation of funds would greatly help in the execution of projects.
Lawal said that the organisation would continue to track funds that were meant for the development of education system in the country.
Responding, Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, assured the group that their grievance would be looked into with apt attention.
Adamu, who was represented by Dr Mohammed Umar, Director, Human Resource Management in the ministry said the issues had coincided with what the ministry was doing at present.
“ I assure you that these certain key points will be presented to the ministry. This has also coincided with what we are currently doing and with your support we will achieve all this.
“All that is required is your patience because change is a gradual process; all these key points on review of curriculum, increase in the budget and the rest are what we doing,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group took their procession from the eagle square to the National Assembly and finally down to the Federal Ministry of Education.
The inscription on their placards read: Increase Education Budget, UBEC money should be in a fixed deposit account; use it wisely, Make Education Prerogative of the Girl Child and Recruit Quality Teachers.
Others include: Sanction states that refuse to access the UBEC funds, Oyo State, Constitute SUBEB; utilise the UBEC funds and increase citizen participation in education budgetary and planning process, among others.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
