Nigerian govt discontinues foreign scholarship scheme, to prioritise local institutions

The Nigerian government has officially discontinued the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, which for years funded Nigerian students to study in foreign countries.

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The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folashade Boriowo, on Wednesday.

Mr Alausa explained that the decision followed a thorough policy review aimed at consolidating national investment in domestic tertiary institutions.

“Every course Nigerians travel abroad to study through the BEA is now available and often of higher quality within our own universities and polytechnics,” he said.

“It is no longer justifiable to fund overseas studies with public resources when local alternatives exist.”

The discontinuation of the programme is coming days after the ministry initially said it was temporarily suspending the programme for five years.

Meanwhile, current beneficiaries of the programme are calling on the government to pay their outstanding allowances, which they say has crossed $6,000.

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Existing beneficiaries to remain supported

The education minister, Mr Alausa, assured that current beneficiaries would continue to receive full support until the completion of their studies.

He also said the discontinuation of the BEA scholarship will not affect other domestic scholarship initiatives funded by the federal government.

Mr Alausa also reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding the Nigerian Student Loan Programme, which provides interest-free loans to students enrolled in higher education institutions within the country.

“This is not an end, but a new beginning. Our focus is now on building a stronger, self-reliant education system that leaves no Nigerian behind,” he said.

Funds to be redirected to local institutions

The minister said the discontinuation of the BEA scholarship is part of efforts to manage limited public funds more equitably and responsibly.

He said the costs involved in sponsoring students abroad are better redirected into strengthening local institutions where more Nigerians can benefit.

The BEA Programme, managed by the Federal Ministry of Education, has offered scholarships to Nigerian students through bilateral agreements with countries such as Russia, China, Morocco and Algeria, among others.

However, the minister clarified that the federal government remains open to foreign governments or institutions offering fully funded scholarships to Nigerian students under bilateral or multilateral arrangements.

He added that such offers must cover tuition, accommodation, transportation, healthcare, and provide a monthly allowance of no less than $500, without any financial obligation on the part of the Nigerian government.

Beneficiaries stipends

Meanwhile, the current beneficiaries have called on the government to pay their outstanding allowances.

The scholars, under the Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education AGreement Scholars (UNBEAS), said they are owed four-month stipends from 2023.

The statement said the scholars are owed stipends for September to December 2023. The scholars receive a monthly stipend of $500.

The scholars also said they haven’t received any stipend payment this year.

The statement added that they are owed $1,123 in exchange rate differential for six months –March to August.

For 2024, the scholars said they received $220 stipends instead of $500 without prior notification or justification. The statement said the students were only informed of the reduction at the time of disbursement.

“As of April 2025, no stipend payments have been made for the year. Scholars across multiple countries continue to face serious financial hardship,” the statement said.

More about BEA

The BEA scholarship is a diplomatic and mutual cooperation between Nigerian and some countries which enables Nigerian students to pursue academic studies in partner countries such as China, Russia, Algeria, Hungary, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia.

The Scholarship Programme, implemented by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education, has long been an effort made by the government to foster international academic collaboration.

The programme enabled Nigerian students to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate studies abroad, with the host nations covering tuition and accommodation, while the Nigerian government provided stipends for living expenses.

However, there have been persistent challenges over the years on the issues of delayed or unpaid stipends which have been a recurring concern.

For instance, in 2016, Nigerian students in Russia protested at the Nigerian embassy in Moscow over a year-long delay in stipend payments, highlighting the financial hardships they endured due to the government’s failure to fulfill its obligations.

Similarly, in 2018, students in Morocco reported being owed over 12 months’ allowances, leading to severe financial distress .

These financial inconsistencies have raised concerns about the sustainability and management of the BEA programme.