The Federal Government has officially announced the cancellation of its Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme, citing reasons of financial mismanagement, poor supervision, and unjust spending practices.
This disclosure was made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, during a meeting held on Tuesday with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
According to Alausa, the scholarship scheme has become unsustainable and no longer serves the interests of Nigerian students.
The BEA programme was established through partnerships with countries such as China, Russia, Hungary, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Serbia, with the aim of providing Nigerians with opportunities to study abroad. However, growing complaints from students, many of whom alleged abandonment while schooling overseas, prompted a thorough government review.
Alausa recounted that shortly after assuming office in 2024, he was asked to approve a significant fund allocation for students under the scheme but declined. “2024, when I assumed office, I was asked to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco under the BEA programme. I refused. It’s not fair to Nigerian students,” he said.
He went further to express concerns about the relevance of some courses being pursued abroad under the programme, noting instances where students were sent to French-speaking countries like Algeria to study subjects such as English, Psychology, and Sociology — disciplines, he argued, are better taught within Nigerian universities. “I reviewed the courses—some students went to Algeria, a French-speaking country, to study English, Psychology, and Sociology—courses we teach better in Nigeria,” Alausa added.
The minister also criticized the absence of proper monitoring mechanisms, explaining that while the government consistently covers students’ annual travel costs, it rarely assesses their academic progress. “In 2025 alone, the government planned to spend N9 billion on just 1,200 students,” he revealed. “It’s unjust to spend such a huge amount sending students abroad to study courses available locally, while millions of Nigerian students get no support.”
Emphasizing his point, Alausa stated that the academic programmes pursued by BEA beneficiaries are fully available in Nigerian universities. “We are cancelling the BEA. It is not the best use of public funds,” he declared.
He further assured that outstanding payments, including stipends and entitlements, had been cleared up to December 2024. Additionally, extra funds have been requested to address currency fluctuation issues affecting the students’ allowances.
While existing BEA recipients will be allowed to complete their academic programmes, the minister confirmed that no new students would be enrolled under the scheme from 2025. The government, instead, intends to redirect the programme’s resources to expand support for students studying locally. “That money will now be used to fund local scholarships and support more students,” Alausa affirmed.
He also criticized some BEA beneficiaries for resorting to social media to “blackmail” the government instead of using official communication channels.
In response, NANS President Olushola Oladoja applauded the education minister for the decisive action, describing the reform as courageous and expressing support for the changes being implemented in the education sector under Alausa’s leadership.
