Nigerian students currently studying abroad under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Education Agreement and their parents are scheduled to stage a protest today (Monday) over the non-payment of scholarship stipends, which the scholars say has pushed many into distress.

According to The PUNCH, the demonstration, as detailed in a notice issued by the Forum of BEA Scholars, is set to take place at the Ministry of Finance headquarters, located in the Central District of Abuja, starting at 10 am.

The parents of the students confirmed their intention to join the protest, stating that they could no longer bear the financial and emotional strain of supporting their stranded children abroad.

In the notice, the Forum of BEA Scholars stated that they are entitled to monthly stipends of $500 but have not received any payment this year, leaving a total of 11 months outstanding.

They further reported that the Federal Government severely cut their 2024 stipends by 56 per cent, paying only $220 instead of the approved $500, and according to the notice, the government still owes them arrears for September, October, November, and December 2023.

Many of the affected students, who are pursuing studies in countries such as Hungary, Morocco, China, Russia, and Serbia, expressed that they were struggling to afford basic necessities like food, accommodation, medical care, and transportation due to the prolonged payment delays.

The Forum of BEA Scholars disclosed that several students have been forced to take on informal jobs, violating the terms of their scholarship, while others have been relying solely on charity.

The group tragically linked the recent death of a Nigerian student in Morocco to the severe hardship caused by the unpaid allowances, issuing a warning that more students were at risk if the government continued to delay payments.

The PUNCH had previously reported in April 2025 that the Federal Government officially announced the cancellation of the Bilateral Education Agreement scholarship programme, describing it as an unsustainable and inefficient use of public funds.

This cancellation followed months of complaints from stranded Nigerian scholars abroad who had accused the government of consistently failing to meet its financial obligations under the scheme.

The BEA programme, which was established through diplomatic agreements with partner countries including China, Russia, Algeria, Hungary, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia, has historically enabled hundreds of Nigerian students to pursue higher education overseas with government sponsorship.

Despite earlier assurances from the Federal Government that all supplementary allowances had been paid up to December 2024—with further funds requested to cover outstanding entitlements affected by exchange rate fluctuations—the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced a definitive end to the programme.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the newly elected officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Dr. Alausa stated that the government would redirect BEA funding towards domestic scholarship programmes to ensure a broader number of students across the country benefit.

Referring to an instance, Alausa stated, “In 2024, when I assumed office, I was asked to approve N650m for 60 students going to Morocco under the BEA programme. I refused. It’s not fair to Nigerian students.”

Alausa also expressed significant dissatisfaction with the lack of proper oversight and performance monitoring within the BEA scheme, pointing out that the government sponsors annual travel for scholars without ever tracking their academic progress.

The Minister declared, “In 2025 alone, we projected N9bn to fund just 1,200 students abroad. Meanwhile, millions of students in Nigeria get no support. It’s unjust and unsustainable.” He added a critical observation: “We have evaluated every single course these 1,200 students are studying abroad—every one of them is offered in Nigerian universities.”

He confirmed that while all current BEA beneficiaries will be financially supported to complete their ongoing programmes, the scheme will not accept new admissions beyond 2025.
Alausa concluded his comments on the programme by stating, “This programme is not the best use of public funds. That money will now be used to fund local scholarships and support more students.”

By May 2025, Alausa further lamented a significant issue, noting that 85 per cent of Nigerian students sent abroad on government scholarships never returned to contribute to national development.

This announcement coincided with the Minister’s decision that tertiary institutions with fewer than 2,000 students would no longer be eligible for funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

Regarding foreign scholarships, Alausa revealed a major shift in policy, explaining that more funds would now be strategically invested in building local educational capacity.

Following the Federal Government’s decision to cease funding foreign scholarships, several beneficiaries of the BEA scholarship programme have been left stranded in foreign countries.