In a major move to reduce the financial burden of education and promote inclusive development, the Federal Government has significantly increased scholarship grants across all levels of education. The reform, the most ambitious in over a decade, was announced by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON, during a high-level meeting with the Federal Scholarship Board.
The revamped programme, aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to improve merit-based access, boost economic relevance, and enhance inclusivity in education. The focus areas include Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM), as well as vocational training, in line with efforts to position Nigeria as a $1 trillion economy.
Scholarship amounts have been increased by 50% across board:
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PhD students: ₦750,000 annually (up from ₦500,000)
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Master’s students: ₦600,000 (up from ₦400,000)
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Undergraduate, HND, and NCE students: ₦450,000 (up from ₦300,000)
These revised amounts apply to all major schemes, including the Nigerian Scholarship Award.
In line with the Minister’s earlier commitment to overhaul the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme, current beneficiaries will continue to receive their awards. However, funds previously earmarked for new BEA awards have been reallocated to launch two new scholarship categories:
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₦1 billion for students in public polytechnics pursuing STEM and vocational programmes.
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₦1 billion for students of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy in public universities.
The reallocation reflects a targeted shift towards addressing critical national education priorities.
To ensure fairness and impact, a revised allocation structure has been adopted:
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50% of scholarships will go to undergraduates, 25% to Master’s, and 25% to PhD students.
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Within each level, 70% of the awards will focus on STEMM fields, while 30% will go to Social Sciences.
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5% of all scholarships are reserved for students with disabilities, promoting inclusivity.
An estimated 15,000 students are expected to benefit from the reformed programme, covering the Nigerian Scholarship Award, Education Bursary Award, and the restructured BEA scheme. The implementation will be overseen by the Federal Scholarship Board in collaboration with an Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, with members from the National Assembly, Federal Character Commission, Ministry of Women Affairs, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure transparency and compliance.
With a total budget of ₦6 billion for the 2025–2026 academic cycle, the overhaul marks a bold investment in youth and national development. Dr. Alausa emphasized that this is more than just educational funding—it is a strategic human capital development initiative vital to Nigeria’s future transformation.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in delivering the renewed scholarship programme.
Elijah Adeyemi
