The Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars (UNBEAS) has acknowledged the Federal Government’s part payment of 2025 stipends.
The Scholars urged authorities to release remaining funds and settle years of outstanding obligations to Nigerian scholars abroad.
In a press release dated 12 August 2026, UNBEAS expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, the Ministries of Education and Finance.
Also, the Accountant- General of the Federation, the Federal Scholarship Board and the Union of Parents of BEA Scholars for payment recently made to beneficiaries.
The union said the disbursement had provided some relief, but warned that significant arrears remained.
According to UNBEAS, only 46 percent of the amount required to fund the 2025 stipends had been budgeted.
Of that allocation, only half had been paid, meaning scholars had received approximately 23 percent of their total 2025 entitlement.
UNBEAS also said scholars were still owed four months of stipends from 2023, alongside a separate shortfall of more than US$1,000.
For 2024, the union estimated that only about 46 percent of the total stipends due had been paid. It added that no payment had been received for the 2026 academic year as of the date of the statement.
The union cautioned that the arrears could become more difficult to resolve after 30 September 2026, when the budget cycles for both 2024 and 2025 are expected to close.
It therefore called on the government to ensure the immediate release of the outstanding 2025 payment, as well as all other unpaid balances.
UNBEAS appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa, the Federal Scholarship Board and other stakeholders to intervene and fast-track payment.
The union said prompt action was necessary to ease the financial pressure on scholars and prevent further accumulation of unpaid stipends.