The Nigerian government has dismissed claims that it abandoned scholarship students studying in Morocco, describing the reports as false and deliberately misleading.

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, said no Nigerian student on a valid federal government scholarship has been left without support.

According to the minister, all students enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship (BES) Programme before 2024 have been paid up to the 2024 budget year, in line with government obligations.

He acknowledged that there have been delays in some outstanding payments but said these were due to fiscal pressures and are being resolved through discussions between the Ministries of Education and Finance.

Dr Alausa also rejected documents circulating online suggesting new scholarship awards were made in October 2025 or afterwards, describing them as fake and unauthenticated.

“No new bilateral scholarship awards were made at that time or thereafter,” he said, adding that the documents were designed to misinform the public and discredit government policy.

The minister explained that the government decided to discontinue funding bilateral scholarships abroad after a policy review concluded that Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education now have the capacity to offer the relevant courses locally.

As a result, only scholarships fully funded by foreign governments are now being supported, with host countries bearing all financial responsibilities.

Despite the policy shift, Dr Alausa said the government remains committed to students already enrolled under the previous arrangements and will continue to support them until they complete their studies.

He added that students who wish to return home can formally apply to the Department of Scholarship Awards and will be reintegrated into suitable Nigerian institutions. The government, he said, will also cover their return travel costs.

The minister said reforms to the scholarship system are aimed at ending inefficiencies and preventing the misuse of public funds, noting that past practices often funded overseas training for courses already well established in Nigeria.

The federal government reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of Nigerian students and warned against what it described as misinformation, blackmail and attempts to undermine education reforms.