FG Increases Scholarship Grants by 50%, Introduces Special Funds for STEMM, Medical Students

The Federal Government has announced a 50 percent increase in scholarship grants across all levels of higher education under a reformed National Scholarship Programme, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The new rates, unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Education, will take effect from the 2025/2026 academic session. Beneficiaries will now receive ₦750,000 annually for PhD studies, up from ₦500,000; ₦600,000 for master’s students, up from ₦400,000; and ₦450,000 for undergraduates, HND, and NCE students, up from ₦300,000.

As part of the reform, the Federal Government has also created two dedicated intervention funds: ₦1 billion for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) as well as vocational students in polytechnics, and another ₦1 billion for medical and allied health students in public universities.

Scholarship allocations will be distributed as follows: 50 percent for undergraduates, 25 percent for master’s students, and 25 percent for PhD candidates. In addition, 70 percent of the total funding is reserved for STEMM-related disciplines, while 30 percent will go to the social sciences. A special 5 percent allocation is reserved for students living with disabilities.

According to the ministry, over 15,000 students are expected to benefit from the scheme in the 2025–2026 academic year. The initiative will be funded with a ₦6 billion budget to be managed by the Federal Scholarship Board and supervised by an Inter-Ministerial Committee.

Government officials described the reform as a strategic step towards inclusivity, merit-based access, and accelerated human capital development to meet Nigeria’s educational and economic needs.