The Federal Government, through the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB), has dispatched payment mandates to embassies in countries where Nigerian students are studying under the Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) scholarship program, *The PUNCH* has confirmed.
The BEA scholarship, managed by the Federal Scholarship Board under the Federal Ministry of Education, facilitates educational exchanges between Nigeria and partnering nations.
This development follows *The PUNCH*’s earlier report on the reduction of allowances for Nigerian scholars in countries such as Russia, Morocco, and Algeria. Many of these students have been left stranded and have resorted to taking loans after months of unpaid allowances. The Ministry of Education attributed the cuts to ongoing economic challenges.
The decision to reduce the scholars’ allowances and commit to paying the outstanding amounts was detailed in a memo signed by the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., on behalf of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman. The memo, dated July 23, 2024, explained that adjustments were made in line with budgetary constraints for the 2024 academic year.
Speaking with *The PUNCH* on Monday, Ronald Donald, a leader of the scholars’ association in Russia, confirmed that payment mandates had been sent to the relevant embassies. “FSB sent the payment mandate to the embassies two weeks ago. The President from Algeria saw it; the mandate only included payment for the readjusted amount ($220). A Russian embassy Attaché informed me that they had received the mandate,” he said.
Another scholar, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the development, stating, “Yes, the FSB noted that the payment mandate has been sent, and we are now waiting for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to release the funds. We remain hopeful.”
