Thirty-three postgraduate students from Kano State have petitioned the state government over unpaid sponsorship fees owed to Mewar University, India, which has resulted in the withholding of their academic certificates and transcripts.

In a petition signed by MLS Yahaya Kabiru Sani, the students—beneficiaries of the Kano State Government postgraduate sponsorship programme—stated that they had successfully completed their Master’s degrees at Mewar University since 2025.

However, the students claimed that, “despite the passage of almost one year since completion, an outstanding balance owed to the university by the Kano State Government remains unpaid.”

According to the petition, the unpaid sum of $115,500 has affected 33 of the 98 students sponsored under the programme.

The petitioners said the situation has “severely limited our ability to apply for employment opportunities, proceed with further studies, [and] participate fully in national service and professional engagements.”

They further stated that they had “respectfully exhausted the appropriate administrative channels,” including notifying the Ministry of Higher Education, the Office of the Deputy Governor, submitting formal complaints to the Kano State Scholarship Board, and seeking clarification from the Secretary to the State Government.

While emphasizing that their appeal is not political, the students urged authorities to intervene, saying they “only seek the opportunity to access the certificates we have rightfully earned through hard work and dedication.”

Recall that in October 2023, the Kano State Government sponsored a total of 1,001 postgraduate students to India and Uganda for various postgraduate programmes.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had announced this during the flag-off ceremony of the scholarship scheme at Government House, Kano. He said the foreign scholarship programme commenced with 550 students and noted that it was introduced by the former Governor of the state, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso, adding that it had brought significant benefits to Kano State and the nation.

“It is clearly seen that some of those trained under the scheme by Kwankwaso are now occupying important positions of authority in the present administration,” he said.

All efforts by Kano Times to reach the Executive Secretary and Chairman of the Kano State Scholarship Board, Dr. Mukhtar Bello Maisudan, for comments were unsuccessful.