The Federal Government has scrapped its long-running Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, which sponsored Nigerian students to study abroad. Education Minister Maruf Olatunji Alausa announced the decision on Wednesday in Abuja, stating that the move is part of a broader effort to prioritize and improve Nigeria’s own higher education system.
“Every course Nigerians travel abroad to study through the BEA is now available and often of higher quality within our own universities and polytechnics,” Alausa said.
“It is no longer justifiable to fund overseas studies with public resources when local alternatives exist.”
According to the minister, the high costs of sending students abroad—covering airfare, tuition, stipends, and living expenses—will now be reinvested into Nigerian institutions. This shift, he explained, ensures fairer and more efficient use of limited government funds.
However, Alausa clarified that Nigeria will still accept fully funded foreign scholarships offered by other governments, provided they cover all expenses—including tuition, housing, healthcare, and a minimum monthly allowance of $500—without requiring any financial contribution from Nigeria.
Current BEA scholarship recipients will not be affected and will continue receiving support until graduation. Other local scholarship schemes, such as the Nigerian Scholarship Awards, Federal Government Bursary, and Presidential Scholarship for NYSC Ex-Corps Members, will also remain intact.
Additionally, the government plans to expand the Nigerian Student Loan Programme, offering interest-free loans to more students.
“This is not an end, but a new beginning,” Alausa said. “Our focus is now on building a stronger, self-reliant education system that leaves no Nigerian behind.”
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