Following the current economic downturn in Nigeria, president Bola Tinubu’s administration has announced 12.7% reduction in the allowances of foreign scholars studying in Russia, Morocco, Algeria, China, Hungary, and other countries.
The cut was contained in a memo signed by the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., on behalf of the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman.
Nigerian students studying in these countries have been unpaid for eight months.
The Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship, which is for education exchange between Nigeria and partnering countries, is being supervised by the Federal Scholarship Board.
The monthly allowances have been trimmed down from $500 to $220, the graduation allowance from $2500 to $2000, and the PG research allowance from $1,000 to $500.
The memo, dated July 23, 2024, assured that the balances for the years 2023 and 2024 will be paid once funds become available. The adjustment was made to align with budgetary constraints amid the current economic situation.
Meanwhile, Ayuba Anas, president of the Union of Nigerian Students under the BEA scholarship, expressed frustration over the delays.
He reported that scholars have experienced significant financial hardship due to the delay in receiving their stipends and noted that some students in China had not received any stipends since their arrival in April and May 2023.
