… Revamped Programme Aims To Enhance Access And Support STEMM Focus
The Federal Government has significantly increased scholarship grants across all academic levels as part of a comprehensive overhaul of its national scholarship programme, the most ambitious reform in over a decade.
Announced by the Minister of Education during a recent high-level meeting with the Federal Scholarships Board, the initiative seeks to alleviate financial burdens on students and promote inclusive development.
Aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the programme prioritizes education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM), as well as vocational training, to position Nigeria as a $1 trillion economy.
Scholarship amounts have risen by 50%, with PhD students now receiving ₦750,000 annually (up from ₦500,000), Master’s students ₦600,000 (up from ₦400,000), and undergraduate, HND, and NCE students ₦450,000 (up from ₦300,000) under the Nigerian Scholarship Award.
Two new categories have been introduced, supported by ₦1 billion each: one for STEM and vocational students in public polytechnics, and another for medical fields like Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing in public universities, funded by reallocating the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) budget. The revised allocation framework reserves 50% of awards for undergraduates, 25% for Master’s, and 25% for PhD candidates, with 70% targeting STEM and 30% Social Sciences, and 5% for students with disabilities.
Expected to benefit over 15,000 students, the programme is backed by a ₦6 billion budget for the 2025–2026 cycle. An Inter-Ministerial Committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of Education and including National Assembly and Federal Character Commission representatives, will oversee implementation.
The minister emphasized the initiative’s role in cultivating human capital for national transformation, with a focus on transparency and accountability.
