Nigerian students studying in Russia under a bilateral education programme have raised alarm over what they described as abandonment by the Federal Government, saying they have not received their monthly stipends since September 2024.
The affected students, many of whom are enrolled in medicine, engineering and other professional courses, said the prolonged delay in payment has plunged them into severe hardship and made survival increasingly difficult.
Appeal For Help
In a joint appeal, the students said they were officially sent to Russia under an educational agreement between both countries, but now feel neglected and stranded without financial support.
According to them, the non-payment of allowances has forced many students to seek low-paying and physically demanding jobs, including construction labour, in order to meet basic needs such as feeding, accommodation and transportation.
A fifth-year medical student in Rostov, who spoke on behalf of the group, said the situation had become unbearable.
“Good day my fellow Nigerians. I am a fifth year medical student here in the city of Rostov, Russia and here with me I have my colleagues from the medical institution, the engineering institutions and other universities. We were duly sent here by the Nigerian government under the bilateral educational agreements between Russia and Nigeria and since then we’ve been left stranded by the Nigerian government.
“We have been forced into abject poverty thereby sending boys into menial jobs like working in construction sites, sending our girls into forced prostitution and all.
“We are soliciting with the federal government to please come to our aid. We appeal with the first citizen of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to quickly see to our aid.
“We were last paid in September 2024. Until date we haven’t received a dime from the government. We are hungry, sincerely hungry.
“How do you expect scholars with six to seven distinctions, we merit this scholarship and were sent here. How do you expect us to focus on studies with empty stomach? This is purely unacceptable.
“We can’t continue to be in shame, we can’t continue to portray shame in another man’s land. Please, we are begging once again with the people in the right authorities to please come to our aid.”
The students called on the Federal Government to urgently release their outstanding stipends and strengthen welfare support mechanisms for Nigerians studying abroad under official scholarship arrangements.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no immediate official response from the relevant authorities regarding the allegations.
