The National Association of Nigerian Students in the Diaspora (NANS Diaspora) has raised a clarion call to the Federal Government, urging immediate action to alleviate the financial strain faced by Nigerian students studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship.
In a statement issued by the President of NANS Diaspora, Chris Juwon Fayomi, the organization highlighted the pressing need for the disbursement of stipends to Nigerian students in several countries including Russia, China, Morocco, Algeria, Hungary, and Venezuela. Fayomi underscored the dire circumstances these students find themselves in due to the prolonged withholding of their stipends, dating back to early last year.
Collaborating with key figures such as the Nigerian Students Ambassador, John Aikeremiokha, and the leadership of the Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars (UNBEAS), Fayomi shed light on the relentless efforts made to engage relevant authorities responsible for the welfare of Nigerian students abroad. Despite these efforts, the situation remains unresolved, leaving students grappling with severe financial hardships.
Students across various countries cited challenges ranging from struggles to afford rent in Morocco to the absence of stipend payments for students in China who arrived as far back as April and May 2023. The statement further outlined the compounded difficulties faced by students in Russia and Venezuela, exacerbated by factors like soaring living costs and geopolitical tensions.
Fayomi emphasized the detrimental impact of these financial strains on students’ academic performance and well-being, lamenting the necessity for many to divert their focus from studies to basic survival needs such as food and transportation. The inability to supplement their income due to employment restrictions in host countries only serves to exacerbate their plight.
In light of these grim circumstances, NANS Diaspora implored the government and relevant authorities to prioritize the welfare of Nigerian students abroad by promptly releasing their stipends. Fayomi stressed the urgency of the situation, urging swift action to rectify the delays and provide the necessary support to ensure the academic success and well-being of these young scholars.
As the clamor for intervention grows louder, all eyes are on the Federal Government to heed the calls of NANS Diaspora and take decisive steps to alleviate the plight of Nigerian students abroad, thereby paving the way for a brighter future for these promising scholars.
