Nigeria Disowns Controversial Russian Drone Scholarship Amid Global Outcry

iNewsAfrica | Abuja Bureau | June 2, 2025

The Nigerian government has distanced itself from a Russian scholarship scheme allegedly linked to military drone production, following revelations that young Nigerians were misled into hazardous work supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.

• Nigerian youths were reportedly lured to Russia with promises of education and job training.

• Recruits found themselves assembling military drones under poor conditions.

• The Federal Government denies any role or endorsement of the scheme.

• Russia calls the reports Western propaganda.

• Human rights groups raise alarm over youth exploitation.

Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally disassociated itself from a contentious Russian “scholarship” program that reportedly recruited young Nigerians to work in military drone assembly facilities aiding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The scheme, marketed as an educational and vocational training opportunity in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, instead placed unsuspecting participants in drone production lines under exploitative labor conditions. Investigations, including a detailed report by the Associated Press, uncovered that many of the recruits were misled about the nature of the work and exposed to dangerous environments with little or no compensation.

Several Nigerian participants described how promises of hospitality jobs and academic advancement quickly turned into factory shifts assembling weaponized drones. Some sustained injuries during Ukrainian attacks on the facility. Others reported feeling deceived and unable to return home due to financial constraints and contractual entrapments.

In a swift reaction, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement denying any official involvement or approval of the program, stressing that no federal agency authorized such a scheme. “The Nigerian government did not send, sponsor, or endorse the travel of these individuals to Russia under this program,” a spokesperson declared.

Meanwhile, Russia has dismissed the allegations as fabrications. The Russian Embassy in Nigeria claimed the reports were a smear campaign orchestrated by the West to tarnish its global reputation. “There is no exploitation. These stories are false and politically motivated,” the Embassy said.

Human rights advocates and security analysts have voiced serious concerns, warning of the exploitation of African youths in foreign war economies. Former Nigerian diplomats are calling for a full investigation into how these youths were trafficked under false pretenses.

This incident has reignited debates about Nigeria’s youth unemployment crisis, the allure of overseas opportunities, and the urgent need for stronger vetting and monitoring of international recruitment schemes.

As global scrutiny mounts, pressure is growing on the Nigerian government to not only investigate the incident but to establish safeguards to protect its citizens from similar exploitative ventures in the future.

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