Parents of government-sponsored Nigerian students studying abroad have intensified pressure on authorities, sparking a loud public outcry over 16 months of unpaid scholarship grants that have left their children stranded and struggling to survive in foreign countries.
Their renewed agitation has grown into a coordinated protest, with families declaring that they can no longer tolerate the silence and delays surrounding the long-overdue funding.
The parents argue that the prolonged non-payment has forced many scholars into precarious living conditions, heightening anxiety among families who are tired of watching their children fend for themselves despite being officially sponsored by Nigeria.
The demonstration took place at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja, where dozens of parents converged with placards demanding that the Federal Government clear the backlog.
The affected students are beneficiaries of bilateral education agreements and other federal scholarship programs, many of whom have reportedly gone without their stipends for 16 months, with an additional eight-month shortfall still unresolved.
A protesting mother, Amina Yusuf, lamented that several scholars were now taking menial jobs just to get by.
She described the situation as “deeply unfair,” adding, “These children represent Nigeria in various universities, yet their welfare has been abandoned as though they were never part of any official programme.”
Another parent, Michael Okezie, said the delay had become emotionally draining for families. He disclosed that many students frequently call home distressed over unpaid rent, food scarcity, and mounting academic bills.
“It’s heartbreaking,” he said. “The government needs to act urgently because this has become an embarrassing stain on our commitment to education.”
The parents also urged the Ministry of Finance to release the accumulated funds without further delay, warning that the protest could escalate if authorities fail to intervene immediately.
They stressed that the outstanding payments were long overdue and cautioned that continued neglect could force some students to discontinue their studies entirely.
At the time of filing this report, the ministry had not issued an official response to the protest or the temporary shutdown of the finance ministry by the parents.
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