FG okays N4bn to settle stranded Nigerian scholars’ allowances

The Nigerian Federal Government's recent approval of N4 billion to settle overdue allowances for students abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) offers a glimmer of hope to beneficiaries facing severe hardship. For too long, these scholars, studying in countries like Russia, Serbia, and Venezuela, have endured agonizing delays in their stipends, pushing some to the brink of desperation. Reports of students resorting to menial jobs and, tragically, female students being forced into prostitution paint a grim picture of neglect.

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The Federal Ministry of Finance has approved N4bn to pay the first tranche, and I am working with the Minister of Finance to settle the remaining N4bn. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, they will receive all their allowances for 2025 and 2026.

While this N4 billion is a welcome first step, it represents only half of the N8 billion budgeted for the program this year. The government assures that the remaining N4 billion will be disbursed within four weeks, aiming to clear all outstanding payments for 2025 and 2026. This commitment, however, comes after years of challenges and a previous attempt to terminate the scholarship program altogether. The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, acknowledged the difficulties, stating that funding the scholarship has been challenging in recent years, even calling the program unsustainable at one point.

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I share and sympathise with them. We are working day and night to ensure they get the funds. Our commitment is that existing students will be fully funded. In the last few years, however, funding this scholarship has been challenging.

This situation highlights a recurring struggle for Nigerian students abroad. While the government emphasizes its obligation to fund these scholars, the systemic inefficiencies and resource misallocations that led to this crisis cannot be ignored. The international community may see this as a simple administrative failure, but for Nigerians, it's a deeply personal issue affecting the future of its brightest minds. The government's renewed focus, spurred by public outcry and viral videos, must translate into sustained, efficient disbursement to prevent future crises and restore faith in the BEA program.

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The total budget for this year was N8bn to fund the remaining students currently in training. If we invest N8bn in the education sector locally, we will get more results, but this remains a government obligation.