Wednesday, May 7, 2025 — The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially ended the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme. This move was announced by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, during a press briefing in Abuja. According to the Minister, this decision follows a careful review of Nigeria’s education funding strategy.
He explained that the government wants to focus more on improving local universities and polytechnics instead of funding overseas studies.
Dr. Alausa said that many of the courses Nigerians travel abroad to study through the BEA are now available in local institutions and sometimes offer even better quality. The cost of sending students abroad—covering airfare, accommodation, tuition, and living expenses—is very high. The government believes this money will be better spent improving Nigeria’s own tertiary institutions, where more students can benefit.
While the BEA scholarship is being discontinued, the Minister emphasized that Nigeria will still accept fully funded international scholarships. These must come from foreign governments and must cover all student expenses, including tuition, accommodation, healthcare, transportation, and a monthly allowance of at least $500. Nigeria will only accept these offers if there is no cost to the Federal Government.
All current BEA scholarship holders will continue to receive full support until they finish their programs. Dr. Alausa promised that the government will honour all existing agreements and students will not be affected by the change.
Importantly, other government scholarships in Nigeria will continue. These include the Nigerian Scholarship Awards for students in public universities and polytechnics, the Federal Government Bursary for Education students, and the Presidential Scholarship for NYSC Ex-Corps Members.
The Nigerian Student Loan Programme, which offers interest-free loans for higher education in Nigeria, is also being expanded to help more students.
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The Minister said the goal is to make the education system more sustainable, fair, and accessible. The focus now is to invest in quality education at home, ensuring that more Nigerian students get the support they need to succeed without leaving the country.