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FG increases scholarship grants across academic levels

In a landmark effort to ease the financial burden of education and drive inclusive national development, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has increased scholarship grants across all academic levels as part of a comprehensive reform of its scholarship programme, the most ambitious in over a decade. This transformation was unveiled by…

by: Clifford

2 months ago

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This transformation was unveiled by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, during a high-level meeting with the Federal Scholarships Board. The 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.

As part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the revamped scholarship programme is aligned with efforts to position Nigeria as a $1trillion economy by prioritizing 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 percent. 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). These increases apply to all major scholarship programmes, including the Nigerian Scholarship Award.

As promised by the Honourable Minister of Education to restructure the BEA scholarship programmes, existing beneficiaries will continue to receive their awards, while the funds initially allocated for new awardees have been repurposed to introduce two new scholarship categories under the revamped scheme. The first target students in public polytechnics enrolled in STEM and vocational programmes, with N1billion allocated to support this group.

The second category is dedicated to students studying Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy in public universities, also supported by a N1billion fund. 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 percent of awards will be allocated to undergraduate students, 25 percent to Master’s, and 25 percent to PhD candidates. Within each tier, 70 percent of awards will prioritize STEMM disciplines, while 30 percent will support Social Sciences. In a milestone effort to promote inclusivity, Five percent of all scholarships will be reserved for students with disabilities.

These reforms 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.

With a combined budget of N6billion for the 2025–2026 cycle, the reformed scholarship programme reflects a bold national investment in youth development. Dr. Alausa emphasized 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 this renewed scholarship agenda in alignment with national aspirations.

Author: Clifford

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