The Federal Government has dismissed reports alleging that Nigerian students on scholarship in the Kingdom of Morocco have been abandoned, describing the claims as false and misleading.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said no Nigerian student on a valid Federal Government scholarship has been left without support, contrary to reports circulating in some quarters.
In a statement issued on Wednesday through the Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, the minister described the allegations as “false, unfounded and deliberately crafted to mislead the public.”
According to him, all Nigerian students duly enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship Programme before 2024 have received their entitlements up to the 2024 budget year, in line with the government’s obligations.
Dr. Alausa explained that any delays in settling outstanding payments were due to prevailing fiscal constraints, noting that the issue is already being addressed through ongoing engagements between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.
He also debunked claims that new bilateral scholarship awards were granted in October 2025 or thereafter, stressing that no such approvals were made.
“No new bilateral scholarship awards were made in October 2025 or at any time after. The documents being circulated to support such claims are unauthenticated and represent a calculated attempt to misinform the public and discredit government policy,” the minister stated.
The minister further explained that the Federal Government’s decision to discontinue funding bilateral scholarships abroad followed a comprehensive policy review, which revealed that Nigeria now has adequate local capacity to offer the affected academic programmes.
As a result, he said only scholarships fully funded by foreign governments are currently being supported, with all financial obligations borne entirely by host countries.
Despite the policy shift, Dr. Alausa reassured students already enrolled under previous bilateral arrangements that the government remains committed to supporting them until the completion of their studies.
“The Federal Government remains fully committed to all students already enrolled and will continue to support them until the completion of their programmes,” he said.
He added that students who choose to discontinue their studies abroad would not be left stranded, noting that such students could formally apply to the Director of the Department of Scholarship Awards and be reintegrated into appropriate tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
According to him, the Federal Government will also cover their return travel costs to ensure a smooth transition.
Dr. Alausa said the reforms were aimed at addressing inefficiencies and abuse within the scholarship system, noting that previous practices of sponsoring overseas training for courses already well-established in Nigeria placed unnecessary financial pressure on the country.
“Our reforms are designed to promote transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian students and warned against the spread of misinformation capable of undermining policies aimed at strengthening national capacity and safeguarding the integrity of the education sector.
FG Debunks Claims of Abandoning Nigerian Scholarship Students in Morocco
