The Ondo State Government failed to fully release and utilise N1.79 billion budgeted for two state-owned universities in 2025, while the institutions recorded low budget implementation in the first half of 2026, with N4.73 billion remaining unspent as of June.
The affected institutions are Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa.
According to the Ondo State Government’s 2025 fourth-quarter budget performance report, AAUA had a final budget allocation of N3.7 billion but recorded expenditure of N2.6775 billion during the year.
This represented 72.4 per cent budget implementation, leaving N1.0225 billion unspent at the end of 2025.
Similarly, OAUSTECH had a final allocation of N1.56 billion in 2025 but recorded expenditure of only N796 million, representing 51 per cent implementation.
The university consequently had N764 million of its final allocation unspent at the end of the financial year.
Combined, the two universities were allocated N5.26 billion in their final 2025 budgets but spent N3.4735 billion, leaving N1.7865 billion, approximately N1.79 billion, unspent.
The situation remained concerning in 2026, as both institutions recorded low budget implementation during the first six months of the year.
AAUA was allocated N4.5 billion in the 2026 budget, but only N1.33875 billion had been spent between January and June.
The amount represents 29.8 per cent of the university’s annual allocation, leaving N3.16125 billion unspent as of the end of June.
OAUSTECH also recorded low implementation during the period.
The university had an annual allocation of N1.9511 billion but recorded expenditure of only N378 million in the first half of 2026.
This represented 19.4 per cent implementation, leaving N1.5731 billion unspent as of June.
Together, AAUA and OAUSTECH had a combined 2026 allocation of N6.4511 billion, but only N1.71675 billion had been spent by the end of the second quarter.
Consequently, N4.73435 billion, representing about 73.4 per cent of their combined annual allocations, remained unspent at the half-year point.
The figures indicate that the amount left unspent by the two universities increased substantially from N1.7865 billion at the end of 2025 to N4.73435 billion by June 2026.
AAUA’s unspent balance also rose from N1.0225 billion in 2025 to N3.16125 billion at half-year 2026, while OAUSTECH’s balance increased from N764 million to N1.5731 billion.
The data raise concerns over the pace of funding and implementation of approved allocations for the two state-owned universities.
This development comes amid strike action by staff of both universities who accuse the state government of negligence and refusal to uphold agreement.
On Thursday, SaharaReporters reported that Nigerian Army personnel were deployed to disperse a peaceful protest by students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), who had barricaded major roads to demand an immediate end to the ongoing strike at the institution.
The students gathered to voice their frustration over the paralysis of academic activities caused by industrial action involving the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) — comprising SSANU, NASU, and NAAT — across state-owned tertiary institutions in Ondo State.
Video clips from the scene, seen by SaharaReporters, showed armed soldiers in camouflage fatigues pursuing and scattering students along thoroughfares around the campus.
Despite the presence of military patrol vehicles, crowds of students stood their ground, raising placards inscribed “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” to demand the immediate implementation of union agreements and payment of outstanding salary arrears.
Reacting to the military intervention, the 18th General Secretary of the AAUA Students’ Union, Tolulope Adeyefa, condemned the deployment of armed personnel against peaceful student demonstrators in a series of posts on his official X handle.
“The report that officers of the Nigerian Army disrupted the peaceful protest by students of AAUA earlier today against the continued failure of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to end the prolonged ASUU strike in the university is very condemnable,” Adeyefa stated on Thursday.
Adeyefa, who shared video clips showing military personnel confronting the protesters, commended the students for resisting intimidation while calling on the state government to address the demands of the striking unions rather than resorting to force.