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A development expert, Opeyemi Famodimu, has called for urgent reforms within Nigeria’s basic education system to address persistent governance lapses, funding bottlenecks, and widening inequalities, especially in access to education for girls in northern Nigeria.

Speaking during an interview in Abuja on Monday, Famodimu, who has worked on education-focused projects with international organisations such as YouthHubAfrica, the Malala Fund, and USAID, said structural issues within the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) remain a significant barrier to equity and effectiveness. She proposed the creation of a unified “UBEC Dashboard” — a digital platform that would allow real-time tracking of funds, project status, and compliance levels across federal and state education agencies.

“Too often, we are working with outdated or inaccessible data. A centralised system would allow for better oversight, reduce leakages, and encourage accountability,” she said/ Her comments come amid ongoing concerns about the uneven implementation of UBEC’s mandate, especially regarding disbursement from the 2% Consolidated Revenue Fund allocated for basic education. Famodimu argued for legislative amendments to enforce compliance, including the introduction of penalty clauses or a provision that automatically rolls over unpaid funds.

She also raised concerns about weak coordination between federal and state education ministries. “There is still a disjoint between who funds, who monitors, and who delivers. Until that is aligned, outcomes will remain fragmented,” she said. Famodimu advocated for a stronger role for School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), suggesting they be formally recognised as co-implementers with direct access to a portion of UBEC allocations. In addressing the literacy gaps among girl children—particularly in the north—she called for deliberate partnerships with religious and traditional leaders. “We cannot continue pushing generic advocacy. If we want change, we must work with people who already hold influence in these communities,” she said.

She urged clerics to lead from the pulpit by promoting scriptural backing for girls’ education and encouraged community leaders to use cultural events as platforms for public sensitisation. Famodimu further recommended setting up Community Education Committees to support local planning, provide feedback, and monitor the delivery of educational interventions at the grassroots. She noted that such structures could be paired with incentives, such as conditional cash transfers, to encourage girls to stay in school.

Citing lessons from her work on a USAID-supported education governance project in five states, she noted that practical reforms—such as allocating dedicated funding for girl-friendly infrastructure and accessible learning tools—can help bridge learning gaps for children with disabilities and vulnerable learners. “The challenge is no longer about knowing what the issues are,” she said. “It is whether we have the will to restructure the system so that it works for the most underserved.” UBEC officials were not immediately available for comment at the time of filing this report.