The Federal Government has begun the process of clearing outstanding scholarship payments owed to Nigerian students studying in foreign institutions under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scheme.
According to official confirmation from the Federal Ministry of Education, funds have been released to cover part of the arrears and transmitted through the Central Bank of Nigeria to Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad for distribution to eligible students.
Authorities explained that the current disbursement represents a portion of the total outstanding obligations for the ongoing academic cycle, with further payments expected in subsequent phases. The arrangement is intended to reduce delays that have affected beneficiaries in recent months.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, noted that embassies have been instructed to begin processing payments without delay once funds are received. He added that students should monitor their designated channels for confirmation of credit alerts as the distribution progresses.
The BEA scholarship scheme was established to support Nigerian students pursuing higher education in partner countries through government sponsorship. However, challenges around funding delays have periodically disrupted the timely payment of allowances, leading to concerns among affected students.
With the latest intervention, the government says it is working to stabilise the system and ensure that existing beneficiaries receive their entitlements more consistently. Officials also reiterated ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in the management of international scholarship obligations.
Many students are expected to benefit from the current payment cycle, which is seen as a step toward restoring confidence in government-backed overseas education support programmes.
