FG has increased scholarships by 50% and launched new schemes for Medical and STEM students in a landmark education reform.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Federal Government has announced a 50% increase in scholarship grants across all education levels, marking the most comprehensive reform of the national scholarship programme in over a decade.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, unveiled the sweeping changes as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at reducing the financial burden of education and promoting inclusive national development.
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Under the revised scheme, scholarship amounts have been significantly upgraded:
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PhD students will now receive ₦750,000 annually, up from ₦500,000.
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Master’s students will get ₦600,000, increased from ₦400,000.
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Undergraduates, HND, and NCE students will receive ₦450,000, up from ₦300,000.
Two new scholarship categories have also been introduced:
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One for students in public polytechnics enrolled in STEM and vocational programmes.
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Another exclusively for medical students in public universities.
Both categories are backed by ₦1 billion each, funded through a repurposed Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) budget.
A new allocation formula has also been introduced:
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50% of all scholarships will go to undergraduates.
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25% each will go to Master’s and PhD students.
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70% of all scholarships will be reserved for STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences) students, while 30% will go to students in the Social Sciences.
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Notably, 5% of all awards will be set aside for students with disabilities.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the reforms are expected to benefit over 15,000 students in the 2025–2026 academic cycle under the Nigerian Scholarship Award, Education Bursary Award, and a revamped BEA scheme.
To support the initiative, a ₦6 billion budget has been approved, with implementation to be led by the Federal Scholarship Board and 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, and other key stakeholders.
Describing the reforms as a “strategic investment in human capital,” Dr. Alausa said the initiative is essential to driving innovation, productivity, and economic transformation as Nigeria pushes toward becoming a $1 trillion economy.
