Nigerian students miss most scholarships not because they don’t qualify, but because they never see the advert. Most schemes run a one-month application window once a year, then close the portal until next cycle.
This guide covers the major scholarships available to Nigerian undergraduates and postgraduates — what they pay, who can apply, and where to find the official portal. Use it as your shortlist, then bookmark each scheme’s page to catch the deadline.
Federal Government Scholarships
Federal Scholarship Board (FSB) Award
Run by: Federal Ministry of Education
Award: ₦300,000 per year until graduation
Eligibility: Undergraduate or postgraduate students with a minimum of seven distinctions (A’s and B’s) in WASSCE/WAEC including English and Maths, plus a strong CGPA at university level
Selection: Computer-based test (CBT) at federal centres, then merit shortlist
Apply: scholarship.education.gov.ng
Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship
Run by: Federal Ministry of Education (in partnership with foreign governments — Russia, China, Hungary, Algeria, Egypt, Cuba, Morocco, Serbia, Türkiye, Romania)
Award: Full tuition, accommodation and stipend for undergraduate, master’s and PhD study abroad
Eligibility: Strong WASSCE results plus first-degree second class upper for postgraduate applicants
Apply: Same FSB portal — separate BEA application window typically opens in late Q4
Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Scholarships
Run by: PTDF
Schemes: National Undergraduate, Overseas Postgraduate (UK, Germany, France, Malaysia, China), Local PhD
Eligibility: Petroleum, engineering, geosciences and other priority technology fields
Apply: scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng
Telecoms and Tech Scholarships
MTN Foundation Scholarships
Run by: MTN Foundation
Schemes: Science and Technology Scholarship (STS) for 300-level STEM students and 400-level medical students; Scholarship for Blind Students (SBS) for 200/300-level blind undergraduates in any course; Top 10 UTME Scholarship
Award: ₦300,000 per year until graduation, plus laptops and upskilling support for STS recipients
Eligibility: Nigerian citizens in public universities, polytechnics or colleges of education with at least a 3.0/4 or 3.5/5 CGPA (second class upper)
Apply: mtn.ng/foundation/mtn-scholarships
Oil and Gas Scholarships
NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture National University Scholarship
Run by: NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited (joint venture)
Award: Annual cash grant covering tuition support and stipend for the duration of the degree
Eligibility: Full-time 200-level students in any approved Nigerian university; both science and non-science courses are eligible
Apply: Through the joint scholarship platform scholastica.ng
Nigeria LNG (NLNG) Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme (UGSS)
Run by: Nigeria LNG Limited
Award: ₦300,000 per year for the full duration of the degree
Eligibility: First-year undergraduates aged 16–25 in a federal or state-owned Nigerian university; minimum 5 WAEC/SSCE/NECO credits at one sitting including English and Maths; minimum JAMB UTME score of 200
Process: Online application + computer-based proctored selection test
Special category: Quota for students from Northern Nigerian Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps
Apply: nlngscholarships.smapply.io
Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) Scholarship
Run by: Nigeria Agip Oil Company
Schemes: Host Community Merit Award (Rivers, Imo, Delta, Bayelsa) and National Merit Award (other states, science and engineering courses only)
Eligibility: Full-time first-year undergraduates in any Nigerian university or polytechnic
Apply: Through scholastica.ng when the call opens
ExxonMobil Nigeria Scholarship
Run by: ExxonMobil joint-venture companies
Eligibility: 200-level students with at least 5 distinctions in WAEC/SSCE
Award: Annual cash stipend until graduation
Apply: Through ExxonMobil’s announced application portal — usually advertised on the company’s Nigeria careers page and Nigerian newspapers
Total Energies Nigeria National Merit Scholarship
Run by: TotalEnergies E&P Nigeria
Eligibility: 100-level students in approved Nigerian universities studying engineering, geosciences and other technical fields
Award: Annual stipend with the option of TotalEnergies internship
Apply: Through scholastica.ng
Shell Nigeria University Scholarships
Run by: Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production (SNEPCo)
Schemes: Cradle to Career (host community), Niger Delta Postgraduate, SPDC University Scholarship
Eligibility: Niger Delta indigenes for the host scheme; other Nigerians for the open national scheme
Apply: Through Scholastica when the call opens
State Government and Foundation Scholarships
State Bursary Awards
Most state governments offer annual bursary or scholarship awards to indigenous students studying in Nigerian universities and polytechnics. Awards range from ₦25,000 to ₦200,000 per year. Check your state’s Ministry of Education or Scholarship Board portal — Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Edo all maintain active schemes.
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Scholarship
Run by: NDDC
Award: Foreign postgraduate scholarship covering tuition, stipend and travel
Eligibility: Indigenes of the nine Niger Delta states with first-degree second class upper
Apply: Through the NDDC postgraduate scholarship portal each year
Aliko Dangote Foundation Scholarship
Provides educational support for Nigerian students at university level, with a focus on under-served regions. Track via the foundation’s official channels.
What You Will Need to Apply
Each scheme has specific requirements, but most ask for some combination of:
- Recent passport photograph
- WAEC/SSCE/NECO O-Level result
- JAMB UTME result and admission letter
- Current CGPA from your institution (with transcript or letter)
- Local Government Area (LGA) attestation of indigeneship
- School-issued ID card
- Birth certificate or age declaration
How to Stand Out in a Scholarship Application
- Apply on day one of the call. Some portals close earlier than the announced deadline if they hit applicant capacity.
- Match your course to the scheme. NNPC/Chevron, NLNG and Agip favour STEM applicants. MTN STS is STEM only. PTDF is petroleum-focused.
- Take the CBT seriously. FSB, NLNG and PTDF all use a CBT to shortlist. Past questions for FSB and NLNG circulate in study packs and Telegram groups.
- Get the documentation right. A blurry passport photo or unsigned LGA attestation is the most common rejection reason.
- Apply to multiple schemes. No rule prevents you from receiving an FSB award and a corporate scholarship in the same year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Nigerian scholarships pay?
The major federal and corporate undergraduate awards (FSB, MTN Foundation STS, NLNG UGSS) currently pay ₦300,000 per year until graduation. State bursaries pay less — typically ₦25,000 to ₦200,000 — but stack with the bigger awards.
When do Nigerian scholarship applications open?
Most run an annual cycle. NLNG opens in October-November and closes in December. MTN Foundation opens between February and April. The Federal Scholarship Board opens in March-April for the local award and in late Q4 for BEA. Bookmark the official portal of each scheme and check monthly.
Can I apply for more than one scholarship at the same time?
Yes. There is no rule against multiple awards, and most students who fund themselves through school stack two or three. Just keep separate documents and deadlines tracked.
Can polytechnic and college of education students apply?
Yes. The MTN Foundation, FSB, NAOC and most state schemes accept polytechnic (HND) and college of education (NCE) students. NLNG UGSS and NNPC/Chevron favour university undergraduates.
Do Nigerian scholarships cover postgraduate study?
Several do. PTDF runs Overseas Postgraduate awards (UK, Germany, France, Malaysia, China). The BEA scheme funds master’s and PhD study in 10 partner countries. NDDC funds Niger Delta indigenes for foreign postgraduate study. The FSB local award covers postgraduate study in Nigeria.
What if I miss a scholarship deadline?
Most schemes run yearly, so you can apply in the next cycle if you still meet the age and level eligibility. Some (like NLNG) only accept first-year applicants — once you cross to 200-level, you’ve missed it for life.
Are scholarship application fees real or scams?
Real scholarships from MTN, FSB, NLNG, PTDF and the oil majors do NOT charge an application fee. If a “scholarship coordinator” asks for ₦5,000 or ₦10,000 to “process your file”, it is a scam.
Do I need a high JAMB score to qualify?
For NLNG UGSS, yes — minimum UTME score of 200. For FSB, the WAEC distinction count matters more than JAMB. For MTN STS and most corporate schemes, your CGPA at university level matters more than JAMB once you are admitted.
How competitive are Nigerian scholarships?
The federal and oil major schemes get tens of thousands of applications for a few hundred slots. NLNG, for example, awards roughly 1,000 fresh slots a year out of 50,000+ applicants. Solid grades and clean documentation move you into the shortlist; the CBT decides the final cut.
this is really good. pls keep up the good work