The Federal Government has rejected reports suggesting that Nigerian scholarship students in Morocco have been left without support, describing the claims as inaccurate and unsupported by official records.
In a statement issued by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, through his Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, he noted that all Nigerian students enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship (BES) Programme before 2024 have received their entitlements up to the 2024 budget year. He explained that while some payments remain outstanding, the delays are linked to fiscal pressures and are being addressed through engagements between the Ministries of Education and Finance.
The minister also clarified that no new bilateral scholarship awards were approved in October 2025 or at any time after that period. He said documents circulating online purporting to show fresh awards are not authentic and did not originate from the Federal Government.
According to Dr Alausa, the decision to discontinue government-funded bilateral scholarships abroad followed a policy review which concluded that Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education now have the capacity to deliver the relevant academic programmes locally. As a result, only scholarships fully funded by foreign governments are currently being supported, with host countries bearing all financial obligations.
He noted, however, that students already enrolled under the previous scholarship arrangements will continue to receive government support until they complete their programmes.
The minister further stated that students who wish to discontinue their studies abroad may formally apply to the Director of the Department of Scholarship Awards. Such students, he said, would be assisted to return to Nigeria and reintegrated into suitable tertiary institutions of their choice, with the Federal Government covering their return travel costs.
Dr Alausa said the reforms are part of efforts to address inefficiencies in the scholarship system, adding that previous sponsorship of overseas training for courses available in Nigeria placed unnecessary strain on public finances.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of Nigerian students and urged the public to disregard what it described as misleading information regarding the status of scholars in Morocco.
