Nigerian students studying overseas under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the prolonged delay of their stipends, saying many of them are facing severe hardship and dangerous living conditions in their host countries.
Dozens of affected scholars and their parents stormed the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday, demanding the immediate release of unpaid allowances. Arriving at the ministry gates around 10am, the protesters carried placards and chanted solidarity songs as they decried what they described as 11 months of government neglect.
The BEA programme supports Nigerian students studying in countries such as Russia, China, Hungary and Morocco. However, the beneficiaries say the situation has worsened since 2023. Their monthly stipend, which was originally $500, was slashed to $220 in 2024—an over 56% reduction—leaving many unable to feed, pay rent or meet basic needs.
The protesters said arrears for September to December 2023 remain unpaid, and that no allowance has been released for 2025, pushing many of the scholars into severe hardship. Their frustration was compounded by the recent death of one of the students, Bashir Malemi, who reportedly died from complications related to tuberculosis. Protesters said Malemi battled poor living conditions before his death and was due to graduate this year.
One of the students, Dalhatu Tijani, said the situation had become unbearable for many scholars who are now stranded abroad and facing embarrassment from landlords and foreign institutions. He explained that they had made several attempts to reach government officials, including the minister of education, the accountant general’s office and the Federal Scholarship Board, but received no solution.
He also noted that motions raised twice in the House of Representatives to address the crisis had not produced any tangible action.
The students are now appealing directly to President Tinubu to step in by ordering the ministries of finance and education, along with other relevant agencies, to clear all outstanding allowances. They also want their stipends restored to the original $500, which they describe as the minimum international standard for scholars studying abroad.
According to them, without urgent intervention, more students could be exposed to life-threatening conditions as they continue to struggle in countries where the cost of living is high and support systems are limited.
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