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Just in: FG Announces Increase In UBE Matching Grants
By Mario Deepromoter
The Federal Government has increased the matching grants for state governments’ infrastructure projects under the Universal Basic Education (UBE) to N3.5 billion.
This update, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was announced by the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, during a five-day financial training for State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB) Chairmen and Board Secretaries in Ibadan.
“The grant complies with Section 11 (2) of the UBE Act, 2004,” He said.
“The 2024 Federal Government Statutory Allocation of the UBE Matching Grant to each state is over N3.5 billion,” Bobboyi said.
He voiced that states are required to match this amount with their own N3.5 billion counterpart funding to support UBE intervention projects for the first through fourth quarters of 2024.
Reports provide that previously, state governments received about N1.3 billion annually in matching grants, but this amount has now been increased to N3.3 billion.
Bobboyi noted that with the increased funding, states are expected to contribute N3.3 billion to obtain approximately N6.6 billion in total support.
“With the impressive amount, states are expected to bring in matching grants of N3.3 billion to go home with about N6.6 billion,” He said.
“This is quite an impressive amount. Of course, we also took into account that inflation had affected the grants,”
He also stated that is very encouraging to see that the available amount is decent enough for states.
“It’s quite a reasonable amount if it could be applied well,” he said.
Bobboyi pointed out that states yet to access their 2023 matching grants, totaling N1.4 billion as of July 1, 2024, should do so.
He further harped on the importance of children gaining basic education, as it’s standard ends at the secondary school level.
He noted that around 46 million children are enrolled in schools nationwide, but encouraged the state chairmen and secretaries to collaborate effectively to address these issues and reduce the number of out-of-school children.
He also noted that quarterly meetings will provide a platform for discussing challenges and solutions in the basic education sector.
Bandits have killed a monarch,his wife, his son, and three other residents in a deadly night attack on Olegabulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Residents said the attack happened on Thursday night when the armed men, numbering about four and arriving on two motorcycles, stormed the palace of the monarch and opened fire on him and his family members.
According to a resident who requested anonymity, the attackers entered the community without raising suspicion, reportedly exchanging greetings with locals in the native dialect before heading straight to the royal residence. Once inside, they opened fire, killing the traditional ruler, his wife, and his son on the spot.
The attackers were said to have spent about 20 minutes in the community. After the assault on the palace, they reportedly moved to a nearby compound where they killed two additional residents and left another person injured before fleeing the scene.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as coordinated and deceptive, noting that the gunmen initially blended in with residents before launching the attack.
The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the incident, stating that five people were killed and one person sustained injuries.
He added that security operatives, including police personnel, have since visited the scene.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive full details of the attack at the time of filing this report.
Proceedings in the case involving former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, were on Thursday adjourned till May 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, represented the prosecution, while Bello was represented by his lead counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu.
During proceedings, the prosecution informed the court of the need for more time to respond to applications filed by the defence, while Bello’s legal team urged the court to consider their submissions and move the matter forward.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, adjourned the case to May 6 to allow all parties to adequately prepare and ensure a fair hearing.
Mr Bello is currently facing charges bordering on alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure as governor, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Nigeria is set to experience one of the highest increases in food insecurity worldwide in 2026, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises released on April 24, 2026.
The report, compiled by agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, raised fresh concerns over worsening hunger levels driven by insecurity, economic hardship and declining humanitarian funding.
According to FAO findings, about 4.1 million additional Nigerians could fall into acute food insecurity in 2026, placing the country among those with the largest increases globally.
Reacting to the development, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mr Alvaro Lario, said “the crisis is becoming more prolonged and difficult to contain”.
“We are no longer seeing just temporary shocks, but persistent shocks over time,” warning that the situation is placing growing pressure on global stability.
FAO noted that about 266 million people across 47 countries face high levels of acute hunger in 2025, with conditions expected to remain severe into 2026.
In Nigeria, the situation is being worsened by continued insecurity in key farming regions, rising inflation and limited access to food.
According FAO projections, over 34 million Nigerians may experience crisis level hunger between June and August 2026, during the peak of the lean season.
The FAO Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Hussein Gadain, said the combined impact of armed conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and cuts in global aid funding is pushing more Nigerians into hunger.
The report called for urgent and sustained intervention, warning that without immediate action, millions more could slide into emergency levels of food insecurity in the coming months.
BREAKING: Benue boils again as bandits invade palace, kill monarch ,wife, son three others
Yahaya Bello to know fate on May 6 as Court adjourns financial infractions case
Nigeria set to record largest surge in food insecurity globally in 2026-Reports
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