By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Federal Government has approved a 50 per cent increase in scholarship grants across all academic levels as part of a major overhaul of its national scholarship programme.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday during a high-level meeting with officials of the Federal Scholarship Board in Abuja.

He said the scholarship has a combined budget of N6 billion for the 2025?2026 cycle, with a view to enhancing national investment in youth development.

He said the reforms are aimed at reducing the financial burden on students and supporting inclusive national development, while also aligning education investments with the country?s long-term economic goals.

?This reform is designed to enhance merit-based access, improve economic relevance, and foster inclusivity, while significantly increasing financial support to students at all academic levels,? he said.

Alausa noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu?s Renewed Hope Agenda and national aspirations to transform Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy through strategic investment in education.

?As part of President Bola Tinubu?s Renewed Hope Agenda, the revamped scholarship programme is aligned with efforts to position Nigeria as a $1 trillion economy by prioritising education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Medical Sciences (STEMM), and vocational training.

?To address rising education costs and ensure equitable access to quality learning, scholarship amounts across all levels have been increased by 50 per cent.

?PhD students will now receive N750,000 annually (increased from N500,000), Master?s students N600,000 (increased from N400,000), and undergraduate, HND, and NCE students will receive N450,000 annually (increased from N300,000),? he added.

The minister said these increases apply to all major scholarship programmes, including the Nigerian Scholarship Award.

He explained that, as part of the restructuring of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scheme, existing beneficiaries would continue to receive their awards, while the funds initially allocated for new awardees have been redirected to introduce two new scholarship categories.

?The first targets students in public polytechnics enrolled in STEM and vocational programmes, with N1 billion allocated to support them.

?The second category is dedicated to students studying Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy in public universities, also supported by a N1 billion fund,? he said.

According to him, both scholarship streams are financed through a strategic reallocation of the BEA budget, now redirected to address critical national education priorities.

?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 Masters, and 25 per cent to PhD candidates.

?Within each tier, 70 per cent of awards will prioritise STEMM disciplines, while 30 per cent will support Social Sciences,? he added.

He further said that, in a milestone effort to promote inclusivity, 5 per cent of all scholarships would be reserved for students with disabilities.

The reforms, he said, are expected to benefit over 15,000 students through the Nigerian Scholarship Award, the Education Bursary Award, and the restructured BEA scheme.

?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 committee includes representatives from the National Assembly, Federal Character Commission, Ministry of Women Affairs, and other key stakeholders to ensure transparency, fairness, and compliance with national policy,? he said.

Alausa emphasised that the initiative goes beyond educational funding, and represents a deliberate strategy to cultivate the human capital required for Nigeria?s long-term transformation. (NAN)

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