Nigerian Students in Morocco, Hungary, Other Countries Urge FG to Settle Unpaid Stipends

The Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars (UNBEAS) made an appeal yesterday to the Federal Government regarding the payment of stipends owed to Nigerian students studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship.

They called on the administration led by President Tinubu to facilitate the payment of the outstanding stipends covering the period from September to December 2023, as well as the full supplementation shortfall for the months of March to August 2023.

The BEA scholarship program was established to foster educational exchange between Nigeria and its partner countries.

The Federal Scholarship Board, operating under the Federal Ministry of Education, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of this scholarship program.

For several months, the scholars have not received their stipends, and many confirmed to our correspondent that they had been forced to take loans in order to sustain themselves.

In 2024, the Federal Ministry of Education reduced the allowances for students studying abroad under the scheme, citing economic challenges as the reason for the cuts.