Nigerian Students Murmur as Tinubu Offers Scholarships to Caribbean Nationals

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the launch of a new scholarship programme for students from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), set to begin in the next academic year, an initiative that has sparked quiet discontent and murmuring among Nigerian students.

The announcement was made during Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia, where he addressed a joint session of the country’s Senate and House of Assembly and held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Philip Pierre.

According to a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the scholarship is part of a broader Nigeria-OECS cooperation agenda aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties and deepening collaboration in education, trade, development, and diplomacy.

President Tinubu stated that the programme was developed in partnership with OECS member states and will be overseen by a joint implementation committee. Beneficiaries are expected to begin their studies in Nigeria starting the 2025/2026 academic session.

However, back home in Nigeria, the development has drawn mixed reactions. Many students and education advocates are expressing frustration over what they perceive as misplaced priorities, especially amid Nigeria’s ongoing challenges with poor funding for tertiary institutions, lack of student scholarships, high youth unemployment, and the unresolved issues with the student loan rollout.

“How do you give scholarships to foreign students when many Nigerians are dropping out due to tuition fees and ASUU strikes?” a student at the University of Abuja said on social media, echoing the sentiments of many.

Some students also questioned the timing and focus of the initiative, especially considering the state of Nigeria’s public universities, infrastructural decay, and ongoing ASUU-government tensions.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu assured Saint Lucian lawmakers that the initiative was a strategic move to build stronger African-Caribbean relations. He also mentioned ongoing plans for visa waivers for diplomatic and official passport holders from OECS countries, as well as joint efforts to improve air connectivity, trade, and tourism between both regions.

Prime Minister Pierre praised the scholarship initiative as a “timely and practical show of solidarity,” adding that it would foster educational exchange and strengthen ties between OECS nations and Nigeria.