The Federal Government has announced the termination of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, which previously sponsored Nigerian students for undergraduate and postgraduate studies abroad.
Minister of Education, Prof. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, attributing the decision to limited public funds and the growing strength of Nigeria’s own tertiary institutions.
“Every course Nigerians travel abroad to study through the BEA is now available—and often of higher quality—in our universities and polytechnics,” Alausa said. “It is no longer justifiable to fund overseas studies with public resources when local alternatives exist.”
He explained that funds previously spent on foreign scholarships would now be redirected towards improving the capacity and quality of Nigeria’s higher education sector.
However, students already enrolled in foreign institutions under the BEA scheme will continue to receive full funding until they complete their studies.
The decision comes amid ongoing economic reforms by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who took office in May 2023. Key reforms include the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the naira’s exchange rate. While these measures have drawn praise from international financial bodies such as the IMF, they have also led to rising inflation and increased hardship for many Nigerians.
Last month, the IMF acknowledged progress but warned that the benefits of the reforms have yet to trickle down to most Nigerians, with poverty and food insecurity still widespread.
