Education in Nigeria
Nigerian students abroad lament non-payment of allowances
Nigerian students studying overseas under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) have cried out over the Federal Government’s failure to pay their allowances.
The students, under the banner of the Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars, called on the Minister of Education, Dr. Yusuf Tunji Alausa, to urgently revisit the government’s stance and clear the backlog of their stipends.
According to them, the government owes each scholar $6,720 for 2023 and 2024, alongside unpaid stipends for January to April 2025.
In a statement posted on their official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the scholars accused the Ministry of Education of misrepresenting the true situation regarding their welfare. They refuted claims that all outstanding payments had been made and that host countries were fully covering their living expenses.
“The assertion that host countries provide full accommodation and monthly stipends is simply untrue in many places. For instance, there is no government-provided housing in Morocco, while students in Algeria receive just $70 every four months — far from a proper stipend,” the statement said.
In response, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of BEA scholars.
In a statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, the government maintained that all supplementary allowances had been paid up to December 2024.
The ministry, however, admitted that fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate had created shortfalls in fund disbursement. It added that a formal request for additional funding had already been submitted to address the gap and ensure full payments to all affected students.
“Provisions for the BEA scholarship programme have been included in the Ministry’s Capital Budget. With the extension of the 2024 Capital Budget, disbursement under the 2025 budget will commence once implementation begins.
“The Ministry assures all stakeholders of its unwavering commitment to supporting Nigerian scholars abroad and is working diligently to meet all obligations under the BEA in a timely and effective manner,” the statement said.