FG Axes Overseas Scholarships Amid Economic Turmoil, Sparking Backlash
Current recipients will continue to receive funding until graduation, says Minister.
In a controversial move that has drawn sharp criticism, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the termination of its flagship overseas scholarship scheme, the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Programme, citing budget constraints and the purported advancement of local universities.
Education Minister Morufu Olatunji Alausa defended the decision on Tuesday, claiming that “every course Nigerians travel abroad to study through the BEA is now available and often of higher quality within our own universities and polytechnics.” However, many education stakeholders and students argue that this statement is far removed from the reality of Nigeria’s underfunded and infrastructure-deficient tertiary institutions.
The government claims the policy shift will redirect funds toward revitalizing local higher education. But critics argue this is simply a cost-cutting measure disguised as reform one that unfairly limits opportunities for deserving students while doing little to address the systemic decay of Nigeria’s education system.
The announcement comes amid growing public frustration with President Bola Tinubu’s sweeping economic reforms, which have plunged millions into deeper poverty. Since taking office in 2023, Tinubu has scrapped fuel subsidies and deregulated the naira, moves praised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but blamed by Nigerians for triggering record-high inflation and widespread hardship.
“Instead of fixing the education system, the government is shutting the door on global academic exposure for young Nigerians,” said a university lecturer in Lagos who asked to remain anonymous. “This will widen the inequality gap and further alienate Nigeria from the global knowledge economy.”
Students currently studying abroad under the BEA programme will continue to receive support until the end of their programmes, but no new beneficiaries will be accepted a development many see as a betrayal of Nigeria’s intellectual future.
Though the government insists the move is about building local capacity, critics point out that years of underinvestment, brain drain, and persistent strikes have crippled Nigerian universities. “The idea that Nigerian institutions are now ‘better’ than their foreign counterparts is misleading,” said an education analyst. “If that were true, why do the children of politicians still study abroad?”
While the government claims this is a step toward national self-reliance, many fear it signals a retreat from international competitiveness and a further erosion of hope for young Nigerians.
Reference
FG Axes Overseas Scholarships Amid Economic Turmoil, Sparking Backlash