Declaring the Bilateral Education Agreement scholarship program to be an unsustainable and wasteful use of public funds, the Federal Government announced its discontinuation on Tuesday.
The ruling comes after months of grievances from Nigerian scholars who were stuck overseas and claimed the government was not fulfilling its financial commitments under the program.
Through the BEA program, which was established through diplomatic agreements with nations including China, Russia, Algeria, Hungary, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia, hundreds of Nigerian students were able to pursue higher education abroad with government funding.
Despite recent assurances by 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 newly elected executives of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Alausa said the government will shift BEA cash to domestic scholarship schemes to reach a greater number of students across the country.
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“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 said.
The minister cited examples of students studying disciplines like English, psychology, and sociology in countries where those subjects are not taught in Nigeria’s primary languages, arguing that such programmes are more efficiently and effectively delivered by local universities.
“I reviewed the courses—some students went to Algeria, a French-speaking country, to study English. That is simply illogical. These are courses we teach better in Nigeria,” he said.
Alausa also voiced displeasure with the BEA’s lack of control and performance monitoring, pointing out that the government funds scholars’ yearly trip without keeping tabs on their academic achievement.
“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,” the minister stated. “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 current BEA beneficiaries will be supported to complete their programmes, the scheme will not accept new admissions beyond 2025.
“This programme is not the best use of public funds. That money will now be used to fund local scholarships and support more students,” Alausa concluded.
In response, the newly elected NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, praised the minister for his forthrightness and the reforms introduced since he took office.
