In a move to address economic challenges, the Nigerian Federal Government has announced a reduction in the allowances provided to foreign scholars studying in various countries under the Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) scholarship program.
The Federal Ministry of Education, through a memo signed by the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., on behalf of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has outlined the adjustments to the scholarship payments.
According to the memo, the monthly allowance for BEA scholars has been slashed from $500 to $220, while the graduation allowance has been reduced from $2,500 to $2,000. Additionally, the postgraduate research allowance has been cut from $1,000 to $500.
The total payment per student, which was initially $5,650, will now be reduced to $4,370, representing a 12.7% decrease.
The ministry cited the “prevailing economic situation” as the reason for the allowance reductions, stating that the adjustments are in line with budgetary provisions for the 2024 academic year.
Addressing the scholars, the memo noted that the “balances for the years 2023 and 2024 owed to scholars will be paid as soon as the funds are made available.”
This decision comes amid ongoing financial challenges faced by Nigerian students studying abroad under the BEA scholarship. Earlier reports indicated that some scholars in countries like Russia, Morocco, Algeria, China, and Hungary had not received their stipends for up to eight months.
Ayuba Anas, the President of the Union of Nigerian Students under the Federal Government-controlled BEA Scholarship, expressed concerns over the delays and shortfalls in the payments, stating that some students in China had not received any stipends since their arrival in April and May 2023.
The federal government’s move to reduce the allowances is an attempt to address the financial constraints faced by the education sector, though it is likely to further strain the affected foreign scholars.
