Nigerian students wey dey study abroad under the Federal Government Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) don plan protest for Abuja today (Monday) because government never pay their scholarship allowance since this year start.
According to notice from the Forum of BEA Scholars, di protest go happen for Ministry of Finance headquarters by 10am. Parents don also confirm say dem go join because the financial and emotional stress don too much.
Di scholars talk say dem suppose get $500 every month, but since 2024 start, dem never see one dollar. Instead, dem claim say government even cut their 2024 stipend by 56%, pay only $220, and still never pay arrears for September, October, November and December 2023.
Students wey dey Hungary, Morocco, China, Russia and Serbia say dem dey struggle to pay rent, buy food, get medical care and even move around. Some don dey do small illegal jobs just to survive, while others dey depend on charity.
Di Forum talk say one Nigerian student wey die recently for Morocco suffer because of unpaid allowance and warn say more students fit face danger if nothing change.
For April 2025, Federal Government cancel the BEA programme, describe am as waste of money. Di move come after many stranded scholars drag government for failing to pay their entitlements.
Even though government recently claim say dem pay supplementary allowance reach December 2024, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, still talk say the programme must end because e no dey fair to Nigerian students wey dey home.
Alausa talk say government don spend billions on just about 1,200 students abroad while millions inside Nigeria no get any support. He add say every course wey BEA students dey study for abroad dey available for Nigerian universities.
He still lament say 85% of Nigerian scholars wey government send abroad no dey return after graduation—one big reason why foreign scholarship funding don stop.
Meanwhile, many BEA scholars still stranded for different countries dey wait for payment and direction on what next.
