Ilorin, Nigeria • August 4, 2025 – In a bold reiteration of its commitment to transforming basic education, the Kwara State government has secured a supplementary budget injection of ₦20 billion to revamp school infrastructure across all 16 Local Government Areas. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has green-lit the fund, with the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development already launching preparatory activities such as architectural planning and technical tendering. This initiative reinforces an ongoing infrastructure upgrade that began in 2020, following the restoration of Kwara’s partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Upon assuming office in 2019, Governor AbdulRazaq settled outstanding matching grants totaling over ₦7.1 billion, unlocking UBEC funds from 2014–2019 that were previously withheld due to financial mismanagement during prior administrations.
With access to UBEC intervention grants, Kwara SUBEB embarked on a coordinated effort that delivered infrastructural improvements—spanning classroom construction/renovation, WASH facilities, furniture, and digital literacy centres—across 605 schools in all 16 LGAs.
According to Education Commissioner Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, the administration has completed work on 1,254 classrooms between 2019 and mid-2025, in addition to various special interventions such as sanitation and lab upgrades.
These were achieved following transparent bidding, competitive procurement, and the prompt payment of counterpart funding.
The supplementary fund is earmarked to escalate and complement existing state and SUBEB-UBEC efforts. It specifically targets:
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Construction or renovation of classrooms with modern amenities
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Establishment of science laboratories
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Construction or rehabilitating of sanitation/WASH facilities (toilets, boreholes)
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Support for prototype multistorey primary schools, like the flagship facility in Adeta, Ilorin—symbolizing efficient vertical design and tech-enabled learning architecture
Projects will span the state's 16 local government education authorities to help close remaining infrastructure gaps not yet addressed under the UBEC-supported phases.
“His Excellency has instructed that we dedicate another ₦20 billion to school infrastructural upgrades. The process has started already. The designs are being made, and we will get down to this as soon as the supplementary budget is approved.”
— Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development.
The State SUBEB press office added that the administration's consistent compliance with UBEC procurement and accountability standards has earned Kwara praise as a national pacesetter.
Kwara’s 2025 Appropriation Bill, valued at ₦540.4 billion, allocates 16.2% to education—a significant portion within a capital-expenditure-weighted budget (62.1% capital, 37.9% recurrent). Social sectors collectively receive nearly 32.5% of the total fiscal plan.
An education policy analyst associated with Kwara SUBEB observed:
“Restoration of UBEC funding and timely counterpart payments have catalysed Kwara’s education reforms. The new iteration of infrastructure investments shows the administration’s willingness to tackle persistent deficits—and scale up early achievements.”
Kwara House of Assembly to approve the additional ₦20 billion appropriation.
Architectural plans and tender documents are being finalised in parallel.
Procured according to UBEC and state procurement laws.
Projects are expected to roll out mid‑2025 and continue into 2026, all under real‑time digital monitoring by SUBEB.
Under the leadership of Governor AbdulRazaq, Kwara State has redefined public basic education through strategic financing, bureaucratic discipline, and infrastructure delivery. The newly approved ₦20 billion reinforces the administration’s 2025 education agenda, closing remaining infrastructure deficits and enhancing learning environments across the state. With UBEC partnerships now fully reactivated and supplemented by internal funding, Kwara continues to advance toward its goal of equitable, modern, and quality basic education.
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