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Opens two new scholarship windows
By Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The federal government has announced a 50 per cent increase in scholarship grants across all academic levels as part of a comprehensive reform of its scholarship programme.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa, in a statement on Wednesday, July 30, announced that PhD students will now receive ₦750,000 annually, up from ₦500,000; Master’s students will get ₦600,000, up from ₦400,000; and undergraduate, HND, and NCE students will receive ₦450,000 annually, an increase from ₦300,000.
The minister said the objective of the increase was to address rising education costs and ensure equitable access to quality learning.
Regarding the Bilateral Education Agreements (BEA), the minister stated that existing beneficiaries will continue to receive their awards, while funds initially allocated for new awardees have been repurposed to introduce two new scholarship categories under the revamped scheme.
He said the first category targets students in public polytechnics enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and other vocational programmes, with ₦1 billion allocated to support the group.
“The second category is dedicated to students studying medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy in public universities. It is also supported by an N1 billion fund. Both scholarship streams are financed through a strategic reallocation of the BEA budget, now redirected to address critical national education priorities,” he said.
The minister confirmed that a revised allocation framework has also been introduced to ensure fair and impactful distribution of scholarships. “Under the new structure, 50 per cent of awards will be allocated to undergraduate students, 25 per cent to Master’s, and 25 per cent to PhD candidates.
“Within each tier, 70 per cent of awards will prioritise STEM disciplines, while 30 per cent will support Social Sciences. Also, in a milestone effort to promote inclusivity, 5 per cent of all scholarships will be reserved for students with disabilities.”
The Minister said the reforms are expected to benefit over 15,000 students through the Nigerian Scholarship Award, the Education Bursary Award, and the restructured BEA scheme, adding that implementation will be coordinated by the Federal Scholarship Board in partnership with an Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education.
The minister noted that, with a combined budget of ₦6 billion for the 2025–2026 cycle, the reformed scholarship programme reflects a bold national investment in youth development, emphasising that the initiative goes beyond educational funding. “It is a deliberate strategy to cultivate the human capital required for Nigeria’s long-term transformation.”
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in delivering the renewed scholarship agenda in alignment with national aspirations.
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