Nigerian students on the Federal Government’s Bilateral Education Agreement scholarship in Morocco have protested the nonpayment of their stipends for 15 months.
The scholars said the delay has pushed many of them into homelessness and extreme hardship. They also linked the recent death of a colleague to an inability to afford medical care.
During the protest, the students carried placards that read, “Nigerian federal government, pay your scholars abroad! 15 months, no payment, no shelter,” and “Our parents are poor. We can’t afford basic necessities.” They pleaded, “Please, don’t abandon us.”
Nigerian photojournalist @PoojaMedia, who met the students at Thursday’s Nigeria vs. Gabon match, said their condition was alarming.
He wrote on X, “Yesterday (Thursday) during the Nigeria vs. Gabon game, while walking to the other side of the pitch after halftime, I saw some banners and placards, and I noticed some of them calling my name… But to my surprise, it was a very serious issue. Sigh.”
He added, “One of the students said that the Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars under the Federal Government have been abandoned in Morocco for over 15 months without payment.
“The issue is so critical that they’ve lost one student to illness because they can’t afford his medical bills.
“I told them I would use my platforms to help them if the relevant authorities would see it.”
The protest adds to a long-running pattern of complaints by Nigerian scholars abroad over unpaid allowances and poor welfare.
Students in Russia, China, the Philippines and the UK have staged similar demonstrations in recent years, citing eviction, hunger and communication gaps with government handlers.
The situation in Morocco appears more severe, with students alleging homelessness and a death linked to lack of funds.
As of press time, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had not responded to the protest.
