Kaduna Education spends N1.3 billion on scholarship board in 18 Months, while scholars are still without their certificates because of unpaid fees. The Kaduna State Government reportedly spent about ₦1.297 billion through the Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board between January 2025 and June 2026, yet some beneficiaries of state-sponsored postgraduate scholarships abroad are still unable to obtain their academic certificates because of outstanding tuition fees.
The development has raised concerns over the administration of scholarship commitments to Kaduna students studying abroad, particularly where beneficiaries say foreign universities have withheld certificates or threatened academic and immigration consequences because agreed fees were allegedly not fully paid.
The figures and cases were reported by SaharaReporters after reviewing Kaduna State budget performance documents and correspondence involving affected scholarship beneficiaries and foreign universities.
Kaduna Scholarship Spending Reached ₦1.297 Billion Between January 2025 and June 2026
The expenditure figure cited in the report is ₦1.297 billion, rather than ₦13 billion.
According to the budget performance figures reviewed by SaharaReporters, the Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board had a ₦5 billion budget for 2025 but recorded actual expenditure of approximately ₦863 million.
For 2026, the board’s full-year budget was increased to ₦7 billion, with actual expenditure reaching about ₦434 million during the first six months of the year.
The combined actual expenditure for the 18-month period from January 2025 through June 2026 therefore amounted to approximately ₦1.297 billion.
This distinction is important because the headline circulating from the report may be read as ₦13 billion, while the detailed expenditure figures cited in the report add up to about ₦1.3 billion.
Some Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Still Cannot Obtain Their Certificates
Despite the reported expenditure, some Kaduna-sponsored scholars who completed postgraduate programmes abroad say they remain unable to collect their academic certificates.
The problem is reportedly linked to unpaid tuition balances owed to their universities.
For students who have completed their academic programmes, the certificate is often essential for employment, professional registration, further education, immigration documentation and other international opportunities.
The affected beneficiaries therefore face difficulties even after completing the academic requirements of their programmes.
One UK Graduate Reportedly Has a £12,400 Outstanding Tuition Balance
One beneficiary who completed a one-year postgraduate programme at a university in the United Kingdom reportedly said the Kaduna State Government still owed £12,400 in tuition.
According to the account cited by SaharaReporters, the student’s programme began on January 17, 2022, and ended on January 17, 2023.
The beneficiary said £5,500 had been paid toward the tuition during the programme, leaving a reported outstanding balance of £12,400.
The student said the unpaid balance had prevented the completion of the process for obtaining the academic certificate.
Loughborough University Case Highlights Earlier Payment Concerns
Another case involved Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
Correspondence forwarded to the Kaduna Scholarship and Loans Board in May 2024 reportedly concerned an outstanding tuition balance of £6,700.
The beneficiary’s total tuition for the academic year was reportedly £19,950, of which £13,250 had already been paid.
The remaining £6,700 was therefore still outstanding, according to documents cited in the report.
A German PhD Scholar Was Reportedly Left Without Full Funding
The reported problems have also extended beyond completed master’s programmes.
A separate case involved a Kaduna-sponsored PhD student at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg in Germany.
In correspondence dated February 17, 2025, Prof. Markus Engstler of the university’s Department of Cell and Developmental Biology raised concerns about the non-payment of the student’s scholarship.
According to the correspondence, the student had received the Kaduna scholarship in 2023, but subsequent payments allegedly stopped.
The professor said the interruption had forced him to provide temporary financial assistance so that the beneficiary could continue the research programme.
Kaduna Had Promised to Fund the German PhD Through May 2027
One of the most significant aspects of the Würzburg case is the apparent difference between the official scholarship commitment and the reported payments.
A scholarship award letter dated March 27, 2023, reportedly confirmed that Kaduna State had awarded the beneficiary funding to undertake a PhD in Life Science.
The letter stated that the sponsorship covered academic fees and living expenses from April 2023 to May 2027.
However, the university professor said scholarship payments had stopped after 2023, creating a gap between the stated sponsorship period and the payments reportedly received by the student.
The professor also reportedly stated that €11,208 per year was required for the student’s German blocked account.
De Montfort University Beneficiary Faced a Threat of Exclusion
Another case involved a Kaduna scholarship beneficiary at De Montfort University in Leicester, United Kingdom.
A university notice dated July 4, 2023, reportedly showed an outstanding tuition balance of £15,100.
The university warned the student that continued non-payment could result in exclusion and termination of registration.
This meant that the issue was not merely about obtaining a certificate after graduation. For students still enrolled, unpaid scholarship fees could potentially interrupt their studies altogether.
Unpaid Tuition Also Created Immigration Risks for One Student
The De Montfort University case reportedly had implications beyond academic registration.
Because the beneficiary was studying in the UK under the Student Route, the university said it was provisionally withdrawing its sponsorship because of the outstanding tuition debt.
The university reportedly warned that failure to settle the debt could result in formal withdrawal of Student Route sponsorship and notification to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
For an international student, the loss of university sponsorship can have serious immigration consequences because the student’s permission to remain in the UK for study is connected to their sponsored education.
The case therefore demonstrates how a scholarship payment problem can potentially develop from a financial dispute into an academic and immigration problem.
Sixteen Scholars Completed Their State Service Obligation
The scholarship board has also confirmed that at least 16 foreign scholarship beneficiaries completed a two-year internship with the Kaduna State Government between January 2023 and January 2025.
The scholars had signed bond agreements requiring them to give back to the state after graduation.
Following completion of their service obligations, the board issued bond-clearance documents confirming that the 16 beneficiaries had fulfilled their obligations and were no longer bound by the service requirement.
However, SaharaReporters reported that some beneficiaries among those who completed their studies were still struggling to obtain certificates because of outstanding university fees.
The Scholarship Bond and Outstanding Fees Are Separate Issues
The cases illustrate two different obligations within a state-sponsored scholarship programme.
A beneficiary may be required to:
- Complete the academic programme.
- Meet the university’s academic requirements.
- Comply with the scholarship’s conditions.
- Return to Nigeria where a service bond applies.
- Complete an agreed period of service to the sponsoring state.
At the same time, the sponsoring government has a financial obligation to fulfil the tuition and living-cost commitments stated in the scholarship award. Completing a service bond does not automatically resolve an outstanding tuition balance owed to a foreign university.
Foreign Universities Have Raised Concerns About Kaduna Scholarship Payments
The reported cases are not limited to individual complaints from beneficiaries. Correspondence reviewed by SaharaReporters reportedly includes communications from foreign universities concerning unpaid tuition and scholarship payments.
The Würzburg case involved direct correspondence from an academic at the university, while De Montfort University reportedly issued a formal notice concerning overdue fees and the student’s sponsorship.
These communications suggest that payment delays can become visible to institutions hosting state-sponsored international students.
Scholarship Award Letters Can Create Important Funding Expectations
One important issue arising from the reported cases is the difference between a scholarship award and the actual release of funds.
A formal scholarship award letter can specify:
- The programme being funded.
- The university.
- The duration of sponsorship.
- Tuition coverage.
- Living expenses.
- Other financial commitments.
When payments do not match those commitments, beneficiaries can be placed in a difficult position because the university may still consider the student responsible for outstanding fees even when the student personally did not create the debt.
The Würzburg case is particularly notable because the reported scholarship letter specified funding extending until May 2027.
The Dispute Raises Questions About Scholarship Administration
The reported cases raise broader questions about how government-funded international scholarships are managed.
A successful overseas scholarship programme requires more than selecting qualified candidates.
The sponsoring authority must also ensure that funds are released on schedule, universities receive payments when due, stipends reach students, and changes in exchange rates or tuition costs are properly managed.
Failure in any of these areas can place beneficiaries in situations that they have little ability to resolve themselves.
For international students, the consequences can include accumulated debt, withheld transcripts or certificates, interruption of studies, difficulty obtaining employment and, in serious cases, immigration complications.
The Kaduna Scholarship Board Has Been Asked to Address the Allegations
SaharaReporters reported that affected beneficiaries and foreign institutions had made attempts to draw the scholarship board’s attention to outstanding payments.
One beneficiary reportedly said that correspondence had been sent to the Governor’s Office and the Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board, including hard-copy documents delivered through FedEx.
Another beneficiary claimed that master’s and PhD students were among those affected by the alleged funding problems.
The report also contained an allegation that some affected beneficiaries had been discouraged from making their complaints public. This remains an allegation reported by the publication and should not be treated as an independently established fact.
Kaduna Scholarship Board Executive Secretary Did Not Respond to Enquiries
SaharaReporters reported that its enquiries were directed to the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board, Yahaya Saleh.
According to the publication, he did not respond to enquiries and did not answer calls as of the time the report was filed.
Consequently, the allegations concerning the individual beneficiaries and the reported payment gaps have not been accompanied in the report by a detailed response from the scholarship board explaining the reasons for the outstanding payments.
What the Report Means for Kaduna Students Studying Abroad
The situation highlights an important distinction between being awarded a scholarship and receiving the full financial benefit of that scholarship.
For a student studying abroad, an unpaid government scholarship can have consequences that extend far beyond personal finances.
A student may have no practical ability to pay a university debt running into thousands of pounds or euros, particularly when the scholarship was supposed to cover the cost.
Where the university takes action, the student can become the immediate recipient of payment demands even though the underlying obligation arose from the government’s sponsorship commitment.
The Cases Highlight the Importance of Reliable Scholarship Funding
International scholarship programmes depend heavily on predictable funding.
Universities need confidence that tuition fees will be paid, while students need reliable stipends for accommodation, food, transportation and other living expenses.
This is particularly important for postgraduate students whose programmes may last several years.
A funding interruption during a PhD, for example, can affect research continuity, laboratory work, visa arrangements, accommodation and the student’s ability to remain enrolled.
The Würzburg case demonstrates how a funding gap can place pressure on both the student and the academic institution supporting the research.
Kaduna’s Scholarship Programme Remains an Important Human-Capital Investment
Despite the reported problems, government scholarship programmes can play an important role in developing highly skilled professionals.
International postgraduate scholarships can give beneficiaries access to universities, research facilities and specialised academic environments that may not be readily available locally.
The 16 scholars who completed their state service obligation also demonstrate the potential for such programmes to create a pathway through which beneficiaries return and contribute their expertise to the state.
The central issue raised by the current report is therefore not whether international scholarships are valuable, but whether government sponsorship commitments are being implemented consistently enough to protect the students who depend on them.
Key Facts About the Kaduna Scholarship Funding Dispute
| Issue | Reported details |
|---|---|
| State | Kaduna |
| Agency | Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board |
| Period examined | January 2025 – June 2026 |
| Actual expenditure reported | About ₦1.297 billion |
| 2025 board budget | ₦5 billion |
| 2025 actual expenditure | About ₦863 million |
| 2026 board budget | ₦7 billion |
| 2026 expenditure by June | About ₦434 million |
| Main complaint | Outstanding scholarship/tuition payments |
| Affected locations | Universities in the UK and Germany, among others |
| Reported consequences | Withheld certificates, outstanding debts, threats of exclusion and possible immigration complications |
| Kaduna response in the report | Scholarship Board executive secretary reportedly did not respond to enquiries |
The figures above come from the budget and expenditure information cited in the SaharaReporters investigation.
Important Clarification on the ₦13 Billion Figure
The headline should be read carefully. Although the supplied SaharaReporters URL contains “N13billion,” the article itself reports ₦1.297 billion in actual expenditure between January 2025 and June 2026.
The calculation presented in the report is: ₦863 million + ₦434 million = ₦1.297 billion.
The ₦5 billion and ₦7 billion figures are budget allocations, not the amounts actually spent during the period. This difference is important when reporting the story because a budget allocation and actual expenditure are not the same thing.
Conclusion
The reported Kaduna scholarship funding controversy has placed renewed attention on the management of government-sponsored international education.
While Kaduna’s Scholarship and Loans Board (KDSG) reportedly recorded about ₦1.297 billion in actual expenditure over 18 months, some beneficiaries abroad say outstanding tuition payments have prevented them from obtaining certificates or have placed their studies and immigration status under pressure.
The cases involving universities in the United Kingdom and Germany also show that scholarship funding problems can affect more than a student’s finances. They can interfere with academic registration, certificates, research and immigration arrangements.
Lastly, for Kaduna’s international scholarship programme to deliver its intended long-term human-capital benefits, scholarship commitments must ultimately translate into timely payments that allow beneficiaries to complete their studies and leave their universities with the qualifications they earned.
Source: Kaduna State Scholarship and Loan Board. House 44, Polytechnic Road Badiko, Kaduna, Kaduna State.
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