FG SCRAPS FOREIGN SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME, CALLS IT A WASTE
In a dramatic policy shift, the Nigerian federal government has announced the termination of its decades-old Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) programme, signaling a clear move away from state-funded overseas education in favour of domestic investments. Education Minister Maruf Tunji Alausa delivered the verdict during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Abuja on Tuesday, describing the programme as “wasteful” and misaligned with Nigeria’s educational priorities.
The BEA, launched through diplomatic partnerships with nations such as China, Russia, Algeria, and Hungary, among others, had facilitated scholarships for Nigerian students to pursue studies abroad, often in fields available locally. But according to Alausa, the system has become a drain on national resources and, worse still, an avenue for misuse. “In 2024, I was asked to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco. I refused,” he revealed. “It’s not fair to Nigerian students.”
He criticized scholars under the programme for resorting to what he called “blackmail” on social media when their allowances faced delays, despite the government recently clearing backlogs up to December 2024. While current students under the scheme will be allowed to complete their programmes, no new beneficiaries will be admitted from 2025. Alausa argued that over N9 billion was budgeted for just 1,200 students in 2025—money he said could be more efficiently used to fund thousands of local scholarships across Nigerian universities.
Alausa also condemned the lack of oversight on academic progress among beneficiaries and the lack of alignment between the courses studied abroad and Nigeria’s educational or economic priorities. “Some students went to French-speaking Algeria to study English and Psychology—courses we teach better here,” he lamented. Going forward, the funds will be diverted to support Nigerian students locally, a move Alausa claims will democratize access to higher education and ensure better value for taxpayers’ money.
