FG assures Nigerian students abroad of full scholarship support
By Kunle Sanni
The federal government has reiterated its commitment to the welfare of Nigerian students studying overseas under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, confirming that all outstanding supplementary allowances have been paid up to December 2024.
This assurance was given by the Federal Ministry of Education in a statement released on Friday, reaffirming the administration’s dedication to supporting students benefiting from academic partnerships with countries such as China, Russia, Hungary, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Serbia.
The BEA programme, born from long-standing diplomatic cooperation, provides Nigerian scholars with free tuition, accommodation, and monthly stipends from host countries, while the Nigerian government supplements these benefits with take-off grants, additional monthly stipends, and return tickets upon graduation.
The ministry noted that the Honourable Minister of Education has taken active steps to ensure students’ entitlements are fulfilled, despite challenges posed by exchange rate fluctuations. A formal request for additional funding has been made to cover shortfalls and guarantee full payments.
Funding for the programme has been included in the Federal Ministry of Education’s 2024 Capital Budget, with further disbursements expected once the 2025 Capital Budget implementation begins.
The Ministry expressed gratitude to students and their families for their patience and reaffirmed its commitment to the success of the BEA programme.
“We remain fully committed to the welfare of our scholars abroad and are working diligently to fulfil our obligations under the programme,” the statement said.
