The Forum of Parents and Guardians of Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholars has raised alarm over what they describe as three years of systematic neglect of Nigerian students studying overseas under the federal government scholarship scheme.
Students Stranded Across Continents
During an emotional press conference held in Abuja, parents shared distressing accounts of their children stranded across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa due to the prolonged non-payment of essential stipends. The situation has deteriorated to the point where a Nigerian BEA scholar in Morocco, Bashir Malami, lost his life on Saturday, November 8, 2025, after being unable to access medical treatment due to financial constraints.
According to the parents' forum, the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB) has consistently failed to disburse scholars' full entitlements for three consecutive years. In 2025, no stipend payments have reached any BEA scholar since January, creating an unprecedented crisis for students dependent on these funds for survival.
Systematic Reduction of Allowances
The financial neglect extends beyond delayed payments to include significant reductions in approved amounts. In 2024, the monthly allowance was unexpectedly slashed from the contractually stipulated $500 to just $220, leaving students unable to cover basic necessities including accommodation, food, medical care, and utilities.
The payment irregularities date back to 2023 when scholars experienced a two-month payment gap followed by four months of outstanding arrears that remain unresolved to date. This pattern of financial neglect has pushed both students and their families in Nigeria to the brink of desperation.
Abang Matthew, speaking on behalf of the Parents' Forum, expressed profound grief over Malami's death, emphasizing that the tragedy was entirely preventable had the government fulfilled its obligations to the scholars it sent abroad.
Parents Make Sacrifices, Government Remains Silent
Back home in Nigeria, parents are facing immense financial pressure, resorting to borrowing money, selling valuable assets, and accumulating substantial debt to support their children's education abroad. Many students now face additional challenges including visa and residency permit issues due to their inability to meet host countries' financial requirements.
The Parents' Forum revealed they have made repeated attempts over the past year to engage relevant authorities including the Federal Scholarship Board, Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, National Assembly, and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM). Despite these efforts, they claim to have received no substantive response even as the crisis escalates.
During a protest at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja, parents voiced their concerns about their children becoming "hungry, homeless, depressed, and slipping into medical crises" due to the government's inaction.
Urgent Demands and National Implications
In response to the escalating emergency, the Parents' Forum has issued specific demands to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education, and the National Assembly. Their requirements include:
- Immediate release of all outstanding scholarship arrears totaling over 16 months of unpaid stipends
- Restoration of the original $500 monthly stipend as outlined in award letters and signed agreements
- Establishment of a predictable and transparent payment framework to prevent future administrative delays
The parents characterize the plight of BEA scholars as a national embarrassment that poses significant risks to Nigeria's future development. They express grave concern that the situation could result in the loss of some of the country's most promising young professionals in critical fields including medicine, engineering, agriculture, diplomacy, and technology.
Beyond the public press briefing, the Forum has submitted a formal letter to the Minister of Finance requesting urgent intervention to release funds to the Ministry of Education for immediate disbursement to affected scholars.
The extended non-payment of scholarship stipends appears connected to the broader cash crunch affecting the Federal Government, though this reality has been largely overlooked in official discussions despite the lean budget allocations to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
