Foreign scholars under Nigeria’s Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) scholarship have penned a desperate letter to President Bola Tinubu, urging the government to address the non-payment of their 14-month allowances. The letter, dated August 20, 2024, was signed by the collective union of Nigerian scholars in Hungary, Morocco, China, Serbia, Algeria, Venezuela, and Russia.
The BEA scholarship is part of an educational exchange program between Nigeria and various partnering countries, overseen by the Federal Scholarship Board under the Federal Ministry of Education. However, many of these scholars, who are studying abroad, have been left stranded without their stipends, forcing some to take loans to survive.
Earlier, the Federal Ministry of Education announced a reduction in the allowances due to economic challenges, but the scholars have yet to receive even the reduced payments. A memo from the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., indicated a 56% cut in the 2024 stipends, with promises to pay the outstanding amounts, but these payments have not materialized.
In their letter, the scholars described the dire consequences of the delays, revealing that many have been forced into severe hardship and labor in foreign countries, adversely affecting their academic performance. Some scholars have even reported suicide attempts, while others face legal threats from landlords and creditors due to unpaid loans and rent.
The scholars emphasized the gravity of their situation, stating, “We implore the Presidency and the entire Nigerian Federal Government to recognise that we are not just the future of this nation, but also its very lifeblood. To forsake us now is to condemn us to a life in the shadows, a life where hope withers and dies.”
They called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Ministry of Education to expedite the payment of their reduced stipends and to settle the arrears from 2023. The scholars warned that further delays would exacerbate their suffering, with potentially tragic consequences for the most vulnerable among them, including orphans and those without any support.
The letter concluded with a poignant plea, stating, “The blood of innocent scholars will be on your hands,” if the government fails to act swiftly.
