Patriotism or Punishment? FG’s Ends BEA Scholarship Scheme

The Federal Government has officially terminated the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, ending decades of state-funded overseas studies for Nigerian students. Announced by Education Minister Tunji Alausa on Wednesday, 7th May, the decision follows a contentious policy review aimed at redirecting resources to domestic tertiary institutions. 

In a statement signed by Ministry spokesperson Folashade Boriowo, Alausa argued that Nigerian universities and polytechnics now offer “higher-quality alternatives” to courses students previously sought abroad. “Funding foreign education with public funds is unjustifiable when robust local options exist,” he said, adding that the move would “consolidate national investment” in Nigeria’s education sector. 

The termination comes just days after the Ministry initially announced a five-year suspension of the programme. Current BEA beneficiaries, however, will continue receiving support until graduation, Alausa clarified. 

Meanwhile, current BEA scholars face mounting financial crises. The Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars (UNBEAS) revealed that students are owed four months of 2023 stipends (September–December) and six months of exchange-rate differentials, totaling over $6,000 per scholar. In 2024, monthly allowances were abruptly slashed from $500 to $220, with no payments made since January 2025. 

Alausa emphasized that the BEA’s discontinuation aligns with broader efforts to “manage limited funds equitably.” Savings will bolster the Nigerian Student Loan Programme, which offers interest-free loans for domestic higher education. “This is a new beginning, not an end,” he said, reiterating commitments to expand local infrastructure and faculty training. 

The BEA, established through bilateral pacts with countries like Russia, China, and Morocco, covered tuition and accommodation abroad, while Nigeria funded living expenses. The Ministry clarified that foreign governments or institutions may still offer fully funded scholarships, provided they cover all costs, including a minimum $500 monthly allowance. 

The policy shift has ignited debates about Nigeria’s education priorities. While supporters laud the focus on local institutions, critics warn that underfunding and systemic neglect remain unaddressed.

The government’s decision to scrap foreign scholarships has ignited fierce accusations of double standards, with critics highlighting the stark contrast between policy rhetoric and the personal choices of Nigeria’s political elite. “This move reeks of hypocrisy,” said Chike, a student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka “While ordinary citizens are told to ‘patriotically’ enroll in local institutions, the children of lawmakers, ministers routinely attend Ivy League universities in the U.S., elite boarding schools in the U.K., and private colleges in Canada.” 

This glaring disparity underscores a systemic inequity, critics argue. “If our universities are truly ‘world-class,’ why does the elite class avoid them?” asked another student from the University of Lagos “This policy doesn’t promote self-reliance—it entrenches a two-tier system where the wealthy bypass broken institutions, while the poor are trapped in them.” 

 Other critics stress that the government’s claims of “self-reliance” ring hollow against the backdrop of Nigeria’s chronically underfunded tertiary education sector. Public universities, plagued by decades of neglect, face incessant strikes by underpaid lecturers, overcrowded lecture halls with student-to-teacher ratios exceeding 100:1, and laboratories devoid of basic equipment. A 2024 UNESCO report ranked Nigeria’s education system 148th out of 189 countries, citing “catastrophic underinvestment” and “structural decay.” 

“Canceling scholarships without fixing universities is like locking the door but leaving the windows shattered,” bemoaned Dr. Bello, an economist at Ahmadu Bello University. “Even middle-class families, who once relied on BEA scholarships, are now mortgaging properties or taking high-interest loans to send children abroad. The government has failed to address the root cause: why would anyone choose a Nigerian university when lecturers are on strike six months a year, libraries lack current books, and hostels are overcrowded fire hazards?” 

The disconnect is palpable on campuses. At the University of Nigeria, final-year student Joy Echie lamented, “My faculty hasn’t had functional internet in three years. Meanwhile, politicians post photos of their children’s graduation from Harvard. How can we compete globally like this?” 

Critics urge the government to “lead by example” by reinvesting in education and mandating political officeholders to enroll their children in local institutions. “If our leaders truly believe in Nigerian universities, let their children attend them,” Ifeanyi Ochie said, “Until then, this policy is merely punitive—a betrayal of vulnerable students who lack the privilege of offshore bank accounts.” 

Opposition parties have demanded transparency on education budget allocations, noting that Nigeria’s 2025 education spending (5.3% of the budget) falls far below the UNESCO-recommended 15–20%. “Redirecting BEA funds is meaningless if they’re lost to corruption or mismanagement,” warned activist group Education Rights Watch.