The Federal Government has announced a 50 percent increase in scholarship funds, bringing annual rewards to N750,000 for PhD students, N600,000 for Master’s students, and N450,000 for undergraduates, HND, and NCE students. A significant N6 billion scholarship reform aimed at the 2025–2026 school year includes this upgrading.
The program, which has been called the most extensive reform of Nigeria’s scholarship system in over ten years, is anticipated to help more than 15,000 students across the country. The Education Minister made the announcement and disseminated the policy through the official X platform of the ministry.
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Merit, equity, and connection with Nigeria’s development goals are the main focuses of the new framework. In keeping with the nation’s emphasis on skills that are ready for the future, priority will be given to students enrolled in STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical sciences) and vocational training programs.
The updated scholarship structure increases funding at all levels in response to the growing expense of education: PhD awards are now N750,000 (up from N500,000), Master’s degrees are now N600,000 (up from N400,000), and undergraduate, HND, and NCE students are now N450,000 (up from N300,000). All of the main scholarship programs, including the Nigerian Scholarship Award, are affected by these modifications.
To increase access and advance strategic disciplines, two new categories have been added. One targets medical and health science students enrolled in public universities’ courses in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and physiotherapy, while the other concentrates on STEM and vocational students at public polytechnics. N1 billion has been allotted to each category.
In the meantime, there has been a restructuring of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) program. To support these local prizes, funds that were previously set out for brand-new overseas scholarships have been reallocated.
According to the new allocation mechanism, undergraduate students will receive 50% of all scholarships, followed by Master’s students (25%) and PhD candidates (25%). Thirty percent of this will go to the social sciences, while seventy percent will go to STEMM courses. Additionally, five percent of total awards will be reserved for students living with disabilities.
The Federal Scholarship Board, in collaboration with an interministerial group of representatives from the National Assembly, Federal Character Commission, and Ministry of Women Affairs, will oversee the implementation of the scholarship cycle for 2025–2026. The goal of this cooperative oversight is to guarantee accountability and transparency.
The reform is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which views education as a major force behind the effort to create a $1 trillion economy, according to the Minister of Education.
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