Reps Summon Taiwo Oyedele, AGF Over N75bn UBEC Debt

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, over an outstanding ₦75 billion reportedly borrowed from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The House Public Accounts Committee directed the two officials to appear before it on Thursday, October 22, 2026, to provide a clear repayment schedule and commit to a date for returning the funds.

The decision followed an investigative hearing in Abuja on Friday, October 16, where lawmakers questioned the withdrawal of funds belonging to government agencies to meet other financial obligations without clear repayment arrangements.

The committee, presided over by its Deputy Chairman, Jeremiah Umaru, insisted that public funds allocated to one institution should not be used by another without agreed terms and a definite repayment timeline.

Umaru said the committee wanted both officials to appear personally rather than rely on representatives, stressing that lawmakers needed a firm commitment on when the outstanding amount would be repaid.

“For each borrowing, there should be terms and conditions attached. We want to know what your plan is,” the committee said.

Lawmakers expressed concern that withholding funds meant for basic education could disrupt UBEC’s programmes, which support school infrastructure and other educational interventions across the country.

They also questioned reports that up to 50 per cent of some government agencies’ revenues was being deducted monthly or quarterly without a clearly established regulatory framework. According to committee members, the deductions had affected some agencies’ ability to pay salaries and finance essential operations.

Responding on behalf of the Accountant-General, Deputy Director Ezeoke Christopher acknowledged the borrowings, describing them as internal financial arrangements intended to address funding shortfalls and meet government obligations.

He said the arrangements were partly driven by pressure to meet personnel costs, reportedly exceeding ₦1 trillion monthly. The Accountant-General’s office also disclosed that refunds had reached as much as ₦90 billion, although more than ₦70 billion remained outstanding.

The explanations did not satisfy the committee, which maintained that the minister and Accountant-General must personally account for the outstanding debt and provide a definite repayment timetable.

Meanwhile, UBEC Executive Secretary Olajumoke Akinyemi told the committee that more than 20 states accessed their matching grants in 2025, while over 13 states had accessed theirs in 2026.

She also disclosed that proposed amendments to the Universal Basic Education Act were before the National Assembly. The changes are intended to empower UBEC to redeploy funds left unaccessed by states after two years.

The committee said its investigation was aimed at strengthening accountability and ensuring that public funds remain available for the purposes for which they were allocated.