FG Redirects ₦650m Scholarship Funds to Local Excellence

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a significant change in its education funding strategy, as Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa revealed plans to discontinue the Bilateral Education Agreement scholarship scheme, which was deemed low-value. Instead, the government will invest ₦365 million annually in the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize to reward outstanding academic research and innovation in Nigerian universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education.

Alausa highlighted a proposal that would have seen ₦650 million spent to sponsor 150 students to Morocco, where they would first learn French, despite similar courses being available in Nigeria. He stated that this approach was not justifiable and emphasized the need to allocate funds to support thousands of students within Nigeria.

Alausa clarified that the new policy does not ban foreign scholarships, allowing countries to continue sponsoring Nigerian students if they choose. He noted that Nigeria has developed substantial academic capacity, making the previous scholarship scheme unnecessary.