Parents of government-sponsored Nigerian students abroad have intensified pressure on the authorities, raising 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 endure the silence and delays surrounding the long-overdue funding.
They argue that the prolonged non-payment has pushed many scholars into precarious living conditions, heightening anxiety among parents who say they are tired of watching their children fend for themselves despite being officially sponsored by the Nigerian government.
The demonstration took place at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja, where dozens of parents gathered with placards urging the Federal Government to clear the backlog.
The affected students are beneficiaries of bilateral education agreements and other federal scholarship programmes, many of whom have reportedly been without their stipends for 16 months, in addition to an unresolved eight-month shortfall.
One protesting mother, Amina Yusuf, lamented that several scholars are now taking menial jobs just to survive. She described the situation as “deeply unfair,” adding that “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 prolonged delay has become emotionally draining for families. He disclosed that many students frequently call home distressed over unpaid rent, food scarcity, and escalating academic expenses.
“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 excuses, warning that the protest could escalate if authorities fail to intervene immediately.
They stressed that the outstanding payments are long overdue and cautioned that continued neglect could force some students to discontinue their studies entirely.
As of the time of filing this report, the ministry had not issued any official response to the protest or the temporary shutdown of its premises by the demonstrating parents.
