The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into alleged violations of scholarship agreements and the non-payment of stipends owed to Nigerian students studying at home and abroad.
Declaring the investigative hearing open on Wednesday, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen represented by Rep. David Agada said the outcome would help reshape and strengthen the country’s scholarship administration. He warned that delays in stipend payments have far-reaching consequences for students’ academic performance, motivation, and overall well-being.
“Any delay in payment undermines education and diminishes students’ morale,” Tajudeen said, stressing that bureaucratic lapses must not be allowed to jeopardise students’ futures.
Chairman of the House Committee on Student Loans, Scholarships and Higher Education Financing, Rep. Ifeoluwa Ehindero, described the allegations as potentially indicative of systemic failures and a breach of national trust. According to him, delayed payments pose serious threats to the academic, psychological, and physical stability of Nigerian students abroad.
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Ehindero said the committee would thoroughly investigate the causes of the delays, review disbursement records, and determine whether due process and accountability were upheld. He emphasised that the exercise was a fact-finding mission rather than a witch-hunt, insisting that inefficiency, corruption, or mismanagement would not be condoned.
The committee demanded full disclosure of all relevant documents and truthful testimony from stakeholders, warning against misinformation or attempts to mislead the inquiry.
During her presentation, the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo Asta, told lawmakers that payments had been made up to 2022, but shortfalls began in 2023.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the investigation focuses on alleged abuse of process, breaches of scholarship agreements, and unpaid stipends to Nigerian students in the
diaspora.
