Thousands of Nigeria’s elite scholars, once hailed as the nation’s academic ambassadors, are currently facing a fight for survival across the globe. From the freezing campuses of Russia and China to the volatile economic landscapes of Venezuela and Morocco, students under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) report a harrowing reality of unpaid stipends, crushing debt, and institutional abandonment.
The crisis reached a tragic peak following the death of Bashir Malami, a scholar in Morocco, whose passing in late 2025 has become a rallying cry for parents who insist his death was a preventable consequence of financial deprivation and medical neglect.
The 2026 Budget Paradox: New Intake vs. Abandoned Veterans
A storm of controversy has erupted following the unveiling of the 2026 Appropriation Bill. Despite a high-profile announcement by the Ministry of Education in May 2025 that the BEA program would be scrapped due to “fiscal constraints,” recent budget documents tell a different story.
- The Fresh Intake: The Federal Government has earmarked ₦1.764 billion specifically for 300 fresh scholarships in 2026. This allocation covers travel, health insurance, and allowances for new beneficiaries.
- The “Stranded” Majority: While the government has signaled a return to recruitment, approximately 1,532 ongoing scholars remain in limbo. While the 2026 budget includes ₦5.6 billion to service these existing students, the reality on the ground is one of severe arrears.
- The Policy Whiplash: The decision to fund new intake while current students remain 16 months in arrears has been labeled by pressure groups, such as the Arewa Defence League, as “salt in an open wound.”
A Survival Crisis in Foreign Lands
For the students currently on the ground, the government’s “fiscal constraints” have translated into life-altering hardship. These scholars are legally barred from seeking employment in their host countries, making them entirely dependent on the promised stipends.
| Country | Conditions Reported by Scholars (Jan 2026) |
| Morocco | Homelessness and inability to access healthcare; death of a scholar reported. |
| Russia | Inflation and extreme cold; students unable to afford warm clothing or food. |
| China | Strict residency laws leaving students at risk of visa revocation due to zero balances. |
| Venezuela | Hyperinflation making even small arrears a total wipeout of purchasing power. |
Official Denial vs. Lived Reality
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently dismissed claims of abandonment, stating that payments have been processed up to the 2024 budget cycle. However, the Forum of Parents and Guardians of BEA Scholars has emphatically refuted this, documenting a pattern of “administrative silence” and persistent arrears dating back to late 2023.
The Ministry’s “reintegration” proposal—offering to fly students home to continue their studies in Nigeria—has been widely rejected. Families argue that abandoning degrees mid-stream in world-class foreign institutions is a waste of years of sacrifice and a “moral failure” of the state.
The Bottom Line: A Call for Humane Intervention
The Nigerian government must bridge the gap between its budget figures and the bank accounts of its students. If the nation has found the resources to restart the program with 300 new scholars, it must, as a matter of urgency and human rights, settle the backlog for those it already sent into the field.
We appeal to the Presidency and the National Assembly: Do not let another scholar perish in silence. Honor the sovereign contract. Resume the stipends now, before the “renewed hope” of these young Nigerians is permanently extinguished.
BEA Recipient Parents and Families Demonstrate Picture from Leadership.ng by Mark Itsibor (Fair Use)
