EDUCATION: Tinubu Gov't Paid N4.18Billion in 2025 As Scholarships To Private Universities Owned By Politicians In South
The federal government administration of President Bola Tinubu has paid out the sum of N4.18Billion for scholarships to private Universities owned by politicians in South. Findings, revealed.
The private universities include Benson Idahosa, Igbinedion, Michael And Cecilia, Gregory, Edwin Clark Hensard and Afe Babalola.
Review of the public payments portal, Govspend, has revealed how the Nigerian government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu paid billions of Naira to private universities under the “Niger Delta Students Scholarship Schemes.”
While billions were paid to private institutions, the data shows that none of the federal or state-owned universities were included in the scholarship scheme, which is administered through the office of the Special Adviser to the President of Niger Delta Affairs.
The findings indicate that some of the private universities receiving payments are owned by politicians, including one owned by a sitting Senator and former governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson.
On October 31, 2025, Benson Idahosa University, owned by the Church of God Mission International, was paid N519 million for “accommodation and sundry fees” for 228 newly deployed students for the 2024/2025 academic session.
This implies that an average of N2.2 million was spent on each student for accommodation and sundry items.
On the same day, a sum of N529 million was paid to Igbinedion University, Okada, owned by Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, whose son Lucky Igbinedion served as a two-time Governor of Edo State between 1999-2007 and was later found guilty of corruption.
The payment covered tuition, sundry, and accommodation fees for 555 deployed students.
Igbinedion University also received N359.6 million on March 18, 2025, intended for tuition fees for 190 undergraduate and postgraduate students for the 2024/2025 session.
On October 31, 2025, Gregory University received N446 million for tuition, accommodation, and sundry fees for 164 students.
The university is owned by Gregory Ikechukwu Ibe, who contested the governorship of Abia State in 2023 under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). On March 11, 2025, Gregory University received another N633.2 million for tuition, accommodation, and sundry fees for 161 students.
On March 18, 2025, a sum of N327.8 million was paid to Afe Babalola University, owned by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, to cover tuition fees for 84 students and graduation gowns for five students.
Michael and Cecilia Ibru University received N99.5 million for tuition fees for 66 students. Cecilia Ibru, former CEO of Oceanic Bank, was sentenced in 2010 to six months in prison for fraud and ordered to hand over $1.2 billion (£786m) in cash and assets.
Also on March 18, 2025, Achievers University was paid N205 million for tuition, accommodation, and sundry fees for 101 students, and graduation fees for 31 students.
A sum of N300 million was paid to Afri-Kard Integrated Solutions International on December 31, 2025, for the accommodation of 158 students at Nile University for the 2024/2025 academic session, equating to N1.898 million per student.
On June 25, 2025, Afri-Kard received another N102 million as arrears for 2023/2024 accommodation fees for 8 students and 2024/2025 accommodation fees for 47 students at Nile University, which is owned by Honoris United University.
Edwin Clark University received N147.6 million for tuition fees for 212 students. The university is owned by the late Ijaw leader and politician Edwin Clark.
On November 16, 2025, Hensard University, owned by sitting Senator Seriake Dickson, received N518 million for tuition, accommodation, and sundry fees for 99 students.
In total, N4.184 billion was paid to these private universities in 2025 alone.
According to data from the National Universities Commission, there are 74 federal universities in Nigeria.
Cost Of Federal Universities in Nigeria
Details published by the University of Benin indicate that tuition fees for returning students are N95,000 for science and N85,000 for non-science programs. Fresh undergraduates pay N115,000 for science and N105,000 for non-science programs. Postgraduate tuition fees for fresh students range from N132,000 to N220,000, while returning students pay N82,500 to N155,500.
At Obafemi Awolowo University, newly admitted students pay between N151,200 and N190,200, while returning students pay between N89,200 and N128,000. Other federal universities charge within similar ranges.
Source: Govspend
