Breaking: University, HND Students to Get N450K Annually as Tinubu's Govt Ups Scholarship Amounts
- Amid its 'Renewed Hope' agenda pursuit, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has overhauled the National Scholarship Programme
- Authorities said the tweak reflects the federal government's "commitment to investing in high-impact sectors critical to national development"
- To ensure that no qualified student is left behind and tackle the rising costs of education, scholarship amounts have been increased by 50% across board
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Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering education in Nigeria and worldwide.
FCT, Abuja - Tunji Alausa, minister of education, on Wednesday evening, July 30, announced that the federal government has significantly increased scholarship grants across all academic levels.
Legit.ng reports that Alausa, who described the development as "a landmark reform of Nigeria’s national scholarship programme," said it would ease the financial burden on students and families, while enhancing access to quality education for all.
Source: Facebook
The minister also lauded the review of the National Scholarship Programme as a 'historic overhaul'.
He said in a statement shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account:
"This initiative is a key pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places education at the heart of Nigeria’s transformation into a $1 trillion economy.
"In this light, the revised programme emphasises merit, equity, and relevance to national development priorities—particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medical Sciences (STEMM), and vocational education.
"To tackle the rising costs of education and to ensure that no deserving student is left behind, scholarship amounts have been increased by 50% across board. PhD students will now receive ₦750,000 annually (up from ₦500,000), Master’s students ₦600,000 (from ₦400,000), and undergraduate, HND, and NCE students ₦450,000 (up from ₦300,000). These enhanced awards apply to all major programmes, including the Nigerian Scholarship Award."
Education: FG revises allocation framework
Legit.ng gathered that while existing beneficiaries will continue to receive their entitlements, funds previously earmarked for new international awards have been repurposed to introduce two new strategic scholarship categories under the national programme.
Alausa explained:
"The first targets students in public polytechnics pursuing STEM and vocational training, with ₦1 billion allocated to this group. The second is tailored for students studying Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy in public universities, also supported with ₦1 billion."
Source: Twitter
Furthermore, the Nigerian government introduced a revised allocation framework. Under this new structure, 50% of scholarships will go to undergraduate students, 25% to Master’s, and 25% to PhD candidates.
The FG said:
"Of each category, 70% of awards will support students in STEMM disciplines, while 30% will support the Social Sciences. In a deliberate move to foster inclusion, 5% of all scholarships will be reserved for students with disabilities."
Nigerian Scholarship Award: 15k expected beneficiaries
Over 15,000 students are expected to benefit from the Nigerian Scholarship Award, Education Bursary Award, and the restructured Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scheme. The implementation will be coordinated by the Federal Scholarship Board in partnership with an Inter-Ministerial Committee.
Alausa stressed that he remains "fully committed" to ensuring that the renewed scholarship programme delivers on its promise.
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- Federal government launches N10m loan fund for staff of tertiary institutions
- Tinubu makes fresh appointments at federal university
Nigeria to educate 80 million non-literates
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government officially launched the Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) programme aimed at delivering literacy to nearly 80 million young and adult Nigerians who currently lack access to basic education.
At the national stakeholders engagement meeting in Abuja, minister of state for education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, represented by her special assistant technical, Dr Claris Ujam, announced the initiative.
Source: Legit.ng
