FG REVIEWS FOREIGN SCHOLARSHIPS, SHIFTS FOCUS TO NIGERIAN INSTITUTIONS

The Federal Government has commenced a review of its foreign scholarship and bilateral education arrangements as part of efforts to reduce unnecessary spending and channel more resources into strengthening tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the government could no longer justify using scarce public funds to sponsor students abroad for programmes that are already offered by Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. He explained that the policy was aimed at improving domestic capacity while ensuring that government expenditure on education delivers greater value.

Alausa recalled that shortly after assuming office, he was presented with a proposal involving about 100,000 Nigerian students travelling to Morocco to study programmes taught in English, including mass communication and journalism. He said the proposal raised concerns because the courses were already available in Nigeria, while the students would first have to spend a year learning French before beginning their programmes.

According to the minister, such an arrangement could not be justified when Nigeria already has substantial capacity across its tertiary institutions. He said the government therefore decided that continuing the Bilateral Education Agreement in its previous form would amount to an inefficient use of public resources.

The government’s decision follows its earlier move to discontinue new government-funded Bilateral Education Agreement scholarships. However, students who are already beneficiaries of the programme will not be abandoned and are expected to continue receiving government support until they complete their studies.

The policy also does not constitute a complete ban on Nigerians receiving scholarships from foreign governments. According to the minister, foreign countries that are willing to sponsor Nigerian students can continue to provide such opportunities, but the Federal Government will be more selective about committing Nigerian funds to overseas education.

Alausa noted that the circumstances that led to the creation of the foreign scholarship arrangements decades ago have changed, as Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges have expanded their capacity over the years.

He said the government now intends to retain more education funding within the country and use it to improve local institutions, research, technical and vocational education, digital learning and innovation.

The scholarship review forms part of the Federal Ministry of Education’s wider efforts to reposition Nigeria’s education sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda. The government has increasingly emphasised skills development, research, innovation and the ability of tertiary institutions to contribute directly to economic and industrial growth.

Alausa stressed that the success of Nigeria’s education system should not be judged only by the number of certificates produced, but also by its ability to generate knowledge, develop useful skills and transform research into practical solutions and economic opportunities.

The Federal Government is also strengthening domestic student-support initiatives, including scholarships, bursaries and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, as it seeks to expand access to tertiary education while directing more public investment towards institutions within Nigeria.