The Federal Government has strongly refuted claims that Nigerian students on scholarship in Morocco have been abandoned, describing the allegations as “deliberately crafted to misinform the public” and insisting that all beneficiaries under valid scholarship arrangements remain financially supported.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa clarified on Tuesday that no Nigerian student enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship Programme before 2024 has been left without support, though he acknowledged that temporary delays in outstanding payments have occurred due to fiscal constraints currently being addressed through negotiations between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has clarified that no Nigerian student on a valid Federal Government scholarship has been abandoned. All beneficiaries duly enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship (BES) Programme prior to 2024 have received payments up to the 2024 budget year, in line with the Federal Government’s obligations,” stated Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education.
“Any temporary delays in outstanding payments are attributable to fiscal constraints and are currently being addressed through ongoing engagements between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance,” the statement added.
The clarification came in response to a viral video circulating on social media platforms showing Nigerian students studying in Morocco under the Federal Government scholarship scheme alleging severe hardships, including homelessness and lack of medical support. The video, shared widely on X, featured activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, interviewing several Nigerian students who claimed they had not received financial support for years despite being recognized scholarship recipients.
The government’s statement directly challenged the authenticity of documents being circulated to support claims that new bilateral scholarship awards were made in October 2025, describing such documents as “fake, unauthenticated, and constitute a calculated attempt to mislead the public and discredit government policy.”
According to the Federal Ministry of Education, no new bilateral scholarship awards have been granted since the government implemented a comprehensive policy review that fundamentally altered Nigeria’s approach to overseas education funding. The review, which informed the discontinuation of government-funded bilateral scholarships abroad, was premised on the finding that Nigeria now possesses sufficient capacity within its universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to deliver the affected programmes locally.
“Dr Alausa explained that the decision to discontinue government-funded bilateral scholarships abroad followed a comprehensive policy review, which established that Nigeria now possesses sufficient capacity within its universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to deliver the affected programmes locally,” the statement read.
Under the revised policy framework, only scholarships that are fully funded by foreign governments are now being supported, with all financial obligations borne entirely by the host countries. This represents a significant departure from previous arrangements under which the Nigerian government shouldered substantial costs for students studying abroad, even in disciplines for which adequate training infrastructure exists domestically.
The Federal Government has, however, reiterated its commitment to ensuring that students already enrolled under previous arrangements will continue to receive support until the completion of their programmes. This assurance is intended to protect students who made educational decisions based on scholarship commitments that predated the policy shift.
For students who may prefer to discontinue their studies abroad, the government has outlined an alternative pathway. Such students are being offered the option of returning to Nigeria, where they will be “seamlessly reintegrated into appropriate tertiary institutions of their choice,” with the Federal Government covering their return travel costs to ensure a smooth and orderly transition.
“Such students are being offered the option of returning to Nigeria, where they will be seamlessly reintegrated into appropriate tertiary institutions of their choice. The Federal Government will also cover their return travel costs to ensure a smooth and orderly transition,” the statement concluded.
Students wishing to pursue this option have been directed to formally write to the Director, Department of Scholarship Awards, to initiate the process.
The government defended the policy reforms as necessary measures aimed at eliminating inefficiencies and abuses within the scholarship system. Officials argued that past practices that sponsored overseas training for courses already well established in Nigeria placed avoidable financial burdens on the nation, particularly at a time when the country faces significant fiscal pressures across multiple sectors.
“The ongoing reforms are therefore aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and the prudent management of public resources,” the statement emphasized.
