The Federal Government has dismissed as misleading and deliberately crafted to misinform the public reports alleging that Nigerian students on Federal Government scholarships in Morocco have been abandoned.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, clarified that no Nigerian student on a valid Federal Government scholarship has been left unsupported.
According to the minister, all beneficiaries enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship (BES) Programme before 2024 have received their entitlements up to the 2024 budget year, in line with the Federal Government’s obligations.
He explained that any temporary delays in outstanding payments were due to prevailing fiscal constraints and are currently being resolved through ongoing engagements between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.
The ministry also clarified that no new bilateral scholarship awards were made in October 2025 or at any time thereafter, noting that documents being circulated to suggest otherwise are fake, unauthenticated, and intended to mislead the public and discredit government policy.
Dr Alausa further stated that the decision to discontinue government-funded bilateral scholarships abroad followed a comprehensive policy review, which concluded that Nigeria now has adequate capacity within its universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to deliver the affected programmes locally.
As a result, only scholarships fully funded by foreign governments are now being supported, with all financial obligations borne entirely by the host countries.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to supporting students already enrolled under previous arrangements until they complete their programmes. It also disclosed that students who wish to discontinue their studies abroad may formally apply to the Director, Department of Scholarship Awards.
Such students, the ministry said, will be offered the option of returning to Nigeria and will be seamlessly reintegrated into suitable tertiary institutions of their choice, with the Federal Government covering their return travel costs to ensure a smooth transition.
The government stressed that the reforms were aimed at eliminating inefficiencies and abuses within the scholarship system, noting that previous practices of sponsoring overseas training for courses already well established in Nigeria placed avoidable financial pressure on public resources.
It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and prudent management of public funds.
The clarification follows a viral video on social media alleging that Nigerian students studying in Morocco under the Federal Government scholarship scheme were facing severe hardships, including homelessness and lack of medical support.
In the video shared on X, activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, was seen speaking with several Nigerian students who claimed they had not received financial support for years despite being scholarship beneficiaries.
