FG scraps foreign scholarships for Nigerian students

The Federal Government has officially ended the Bilateral Education Agreement scholarship program due to poor oversight, financial waste, and unfair spending.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, announced the decision during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students.

The program, which allowed Nigerians to study abroad in countries like China, Russia, and Hungary, was deemed unsustainable and no longer beneficial to Nigerian students.

Complaints from students about being abandoned while studying overseas prompted the government to re-evaluate the program.

Dr. Alausa disclosed that he refused to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco shortly after taking office in 2024.

“2024, when I assumed office, I was asked to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco under the BEA programme. I refused. It’s not fair to Nigerian students,” he said.

“I reviewed the courses—some students went to Algeria, a French-speaking country, to study English, Psychology, and Sociology—courses we teach better in Nigeria.”

The minister criticized the lack of accountability in the scheme, noting that while the government pays for students’ yearly travel, it barely monitors their academic performance.

“In 2025 alone, the government planned to spend N9 billion on just 1,200 students,” he said.

“It’s unjust to spend such a huge amount sending students abroad to study courses available locally, while millions of Nigerian students get no support.”

According to him, every course the current BEA students are studying abroad is available in Nigerian universities.

“We are cancelling the BEA. It is not the best use of public funds.”

He added that all pending stipends and entitlements had been paid up to December 2024, and extra funding had been requested to cover currency-related shortfalls.

While existing scholars will be allowed to complete their studies, no new admissions will be made under the programme starting in 2025.

The government will instead redirect those funds toward supporting more students locally.

“That money will now be used to fund local scholarships and support more students,” Alausa said.

He also slammed some beneficiaries for “blackmailing” the government on social media instead of following proper channels.

Reacting to the decision, NANS President Olushola Oladoja praised the minister’s bold move and commended the reforms taking place within the education ministry under Alausa’s leadership.