Nigerian Government Axes Foreign Scholarship Program.

By Achimi Muktar

For hundreds of Nigerian students studying in countries like China, Russia, and Morocco, what was once a dream-funded academic journey has turned into a nightmare of unpaid bills, dashed hopes, and diplomatic confusion.

On Tuesday, the Federal Government abruptly announced the cancellation of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme, a once-celebrated initiative that enabled students to pursue higher education overseas under government sponsorship.

The announcement came amid mounting frustration from stranded scholars, many of whom had raised alarms over the government’s failure to meet its financial commitments—leaving them vulnerable in foreign lands, battling rising tuition, accommodation costs, and exchange rate volatility.

Despite recent promises that outstanding payments had been addressed—up to December 2024—the final blow came from Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who called the BEA an “unsustainable and inefficient” use of public funds.

“In 2025 alone, we projected N9 billion to fund just 1,200 students abroad,” Alausa said. “Meanwhile, millions of students in Nigeria get no support. It’s unjust and unsustainable.”

Scholarships for a Few, Neglect for Millions?

The BEA programme had existed through bilateral agreements with countries like China, Russia, Hungary, Egypt, and Serbia, offering hundreds of bright Nigerian students the chance to study abroad. However, Alausa argued that the cost-benefit analysis no longer justifies the programme.

“I was asked to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco. I refused. That’s over N10 million per student, while millions at home receive nothing,” he said.

The minister criticized the scholarship’s design and execution, citing illogical course placements—such as Nigerian students studying English and psychology in French or Arabic-speaking countries.

“Students went to Algeria, a French-speaking country, to study English. That is simply illogical. These are courses we teach better in Nigeria,” he noted.

Lack of Accountability and Academic Oversight

Another major flaw, according to Alausa, is the absence of proper monitoring mechanisms. He expressed concern that government-funded scholars travel abroad annually without adequate tracking of their academic progress or outcomes.

“There’s no oversight. We sponsor these students, yet we don’t know how they’re performing. That must change.”

The government’s new plan is to channel the BEA budget into local scholarship programmes, in an effort to reach a broader and more inclusive pool of students across Nigeria.

“This programme is not the best use of public funds,” Alausa insisted. “That money will now support more students through domestic scholarship initiatives.”

Current Scholars Left in Limbo

While the minister assured that existing beneficiaries will be supported until they complete their studies, the programme will not admit new students from 2025 onward.

For many stranded students, this assurance rings hollow. Numerous reports have emerged of Nigerian BEA scholars overseas struggling to survive—some unable to pay rent or afford basic needs due to delayed government stipends.

One BEA beneficiary studying in Eastern Europe (who asked to remain anonymous) told NAN:

“We’re out here abandoned. The government barely responds. The funding delays are killing us mentally and financially.”

Mixed Reactions from Stakeholders

In contrast, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olushola Oladoja, praised the minister’s boldness, calling it a “long-overdue overhaul of a broken system.”

“The truth is, the BEA has lost its value,” Oladoja said. “We must support students at home and ensure equity in education funding.”

The Bigger Picture

The BEA’s cancellation signals a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s education policy—one that prioritizes local capacity building over international prestige. But as hundreds of young Nigerians navigate the fallout, questions remain about the ethics of abandonment, the government’s planning foresight, and whether the transition will be just as swift in offering real support at home.