The Federal Government has officially scrapped the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme, citing inefficiency and poor value for money, even as many Nigerian beneficiaries remain stranded abroad due to unpaid allowances.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the decision on Tuesday during a visit by newly elected officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

He said the government would now redirect funds previously allocated to the BEA to local scholarship schemes to reach more Nigerian students.

“In 2024, when I assumed office, I was asked to approve N650 million for 60 students going to Morocco under the BEA programme. I refused. It’s not fair to Nigerian students,” Alausa said.

The BEA scholarship, built on educational agreements with countries such as China, Russia, Algeria, Hungary, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia, allowed hundreds of Nigerian students to pursue higher education abroad. But the scheme has faced growing criticism, particularly from students stuck overseas, who say the government failed to fulfil its financial commitments.

Despite the government’s earlier assurances that it had paid all supplementary allowances up to December 2024 and requested additional funding to address exchange rate shortfalls, Alausa said the programme had proven to be an inefficient use of public funds.

“I reviewed the courses—some students went to Algeria, a French-speaking country, to study English. That is simply illogical. These are courses we teach better in Nigeria,” he said.

He also criticised the lack of academic oversight in the scheme, noting that scholars were sponsored to study abroad without proper tracking of their performance. “In 2025 alone, we projected N9 billion to fund just 1,200 students abroad. Meanwhile, millions of students in Nigeria get no support. It’s unjust and unsustainable,” Alausa said. “We have evaluated every single course these 1,200 students are studying abroad—every one of them is offered in Nigerian universities.”

He confirmed that while current BEA beneficiaries will be supported to complete their studies, no new admissions will be taken into the programme after 2025.

“This programme is not the best use of public funds. That money will now be used to fund local scholarships and support more students,” Alausa added.

Responding to the announcement, the NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, commended the minister for the clarity and reforms introduced since his appointment.