April 30, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has announced the cancellation of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme, citing inefficiency and poor allocation of public resources.
The BEA scheme, established through diplomatic agreements, allowed Nigerian students to study in countries such as China, Russia, Hungary, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Serbia.
However, several beneficiaries in recent years have raised concerns over inadequate government support while abroad.
Speaking during a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Tuesday, Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, described the programme as unsustainable.
“In 2024, shortly after assuming office, I was asked to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco under the BEA programme. I declined. It’s not fair to the majority of Nigerian students,” Alausa said.
He expressed concern over the relevance of some of the courses pursued by students under the scheme, adding that several of them were sent to Algeria—a French-speaking country—to study courses such as English, Psychology, and Sociology, which he said are better taught in Nigerian institutions.
The minister also criticised the lack of monitoring within the programme.
“The government funds annual travel for beneficiaries, yet we have no idea how they are performing academically,” he said.
According to Alausa, the government had planned to spend N9 billion in 2025 on just 1,200 students under the BEA scheme.
“It’s unjust to commit such a huge sum to students studying abroad when the same courses are available locally, and millions of students in Nigeria lack support,” he said.
He announced that the funds would now be redirected to support local scholarship programmes that would benefit a larger number of Nigerian students.
“After a thorough review, we found that every course these 1,200 students are studying overseas is available in Nigerian universities. We are officially cancelling the BEA. It is not the best use of public funds,” he declared.
The minister, however, assured that existing BEA beneficiaries would be allowed to complete their programmes, but no new admissions would be made under the scheme after 2025.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
