Nigerian students studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement have decried the non-payment of their allowances by the Federal Government.

They called on the Minister of Education, Dr Yusuf Tunji Alausa, to urgently review the government?s stance on the payment of their stipends.

The students who spoke under the auspices of the Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars, said the government owed each of them $6,720 for the years 2023 and 2024, in addition to unpaid stipends from January to April 2025.

In a statement released on their official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the students accused the Ministry of Education of issuing misleading information about their welfare.

They rejected claims that all previous payments had been settled and that their needs were being fully met by host countries.

?The assertion that host countries provide full accommodation and monthly stipends is simply false in many countries. In Morocco, for example, there is no government-provided housing. In Algeria, students get only $70 every four months ? that?s not a stipend,? the statement read.

However, the Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to the student?s welfare.

In a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, the government assured all stakeholders that it remained steadfast in fulfilling its responsibilities to the scholars benefiting from the BEA programme.

The ministry stated that all supplementary allowances for scholars have been paid up to December 2024.

However, the ministry acknowledged that recent fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate had caused shortfalls in fund disbursements, disclosing that it has submitted a formal request for additional funding to ensure full payment of all entitlements to affected students.

?Provisions for the BEA scholarship programme have been included in the Ministry?s Capital Budget. With the extension of the 2024 Capital Budget, disbursement of funds under the 2025 Capital Budget is expected to begin once its implementation commences.

?The Ministry assures all stakeholders of its unwavering commitment to supporting Nigerian scholars abroad and is working diligently to meet all obligations under the BEA In a timely and effective manner,? the statement partly read. (Sunday PUNCH)

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