NANS Sounds Alarm Over Welfare Of Nigerian Scholarship Students In Morocco

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has raised serious concerns about the alleged neglect of Nigerian students studying in Morocco under government-sponsored scholarship schemes.

The student body said it was responding to a viral video showing Nigerian scholarship beneficiaries stranded in Morocco, where they accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of leaving them to face hardship, homelessness, and lack of medical care.

In a statement obtained by The Guardian on Wednesday, and signed by the Vice President (External Affairs) of NANS, Kenechukwu Aneke, the association demanded the immediate repatriation and welfare intervention for all affected Nigerian students in Morocco and in other countries experiencing similar challenges.

NANS also called for a thorough probe into the alleged mismanagement of scholarship funds and accountability for officials found culpable. The association further demanded the prompt payment of all outstanding stipends, accommodation fees, and allowances, alongside a comprehensive overhaul of the overseas scholarship programme to prevent a recurrence.

The statement read: “These students, sent abroad under scholarship programmes with allocated budgets, have been left to fend for themselves without adequate support, resulting in dehumanising conditions where they are forced to beg for money nightly to feed themselves. Tragically, one of the students, Bashir Malami, has reportedly died under these circumstances — a loss that underscores the grave consequences of neglect and administrative failure.

“NANS views this as a blatant betrayal of trust by the relevant authorities, including the office responsible for overseas scholarships under the Federal Ministry of Education. It is unacceptable that funds budgeted for these programmes are not being properly utilised, leaving young Nigerians, the future leaders of our nation exposed to hunger, destitution, and danger in a foreign land.

“The education and welfare of Nigerian students, whether at home or abroad, must not be treated with levity. The government has a sacred duty to protect its citizens, especially those it has sent abroad on national assignments. NANS stands in solidarity with these suffering students and their families. We will not relent until justice is served and their dignity is restored.”

While condemning the alleged neglect, Aneke urged President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Federal Scholarship Board, and other relevant authorities to take immediate action.

He warned that sustained neglect of Nigerian students overseas could harm Nigeria’s international image and erode trust in government-funded education initiatives.

The statement emphasised that scholarship schemes are intended to offer opportunity and security, not subject beneficiaries to hardship and uncertainty. It also appealed to Nigerian diplomatic missions in Morocco and other affected countries to urgently engage with the students, provide emergency assistance, and submit accurate situation reports to the Federal Government.

In response, the Federal Government dismissed the claims as false, baseless, and deliberately misleading.

A statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, maintained that no Nigerian student on a legitimate Federal Government scholarship had 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,” Boriowo stated.

She explained that any delays in outstanding payments were due to fiscal challenges and were being resolved through ongoing discussions between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.

The statement also quoted the Minister of Education as saying that no new bilateral scholarship awards were granted in October 2025 or at any time afterward, adding that documents circulating online to suggest otherwise were fake, unauthenticated, and intended to mislead the public and discredit government policy.

Dr Alausa said the decision to end government-funded bilateral scholarships abroad followed an extensive policy review, which concluded that Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education now have adequate capacity to offer the affected programmes locally.