The Federal Government has clarified that the inclusion of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship in the 2026 national budget does not signal a reversal of its earlier decision to discontinue new awards under the scheme.
The clarification was made by the Federal Ministry of Education in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, the budgetary provision for the BEA scholarship in 2026 is a carryover from the 2025 budget, which had already been approved before the government suspended new scholarships between April and May 2025.
He explained that due to established budgetary procedures, such provisions cannot be removed retroactively, noting that the 2026 budget largely reflects a roll-over of the 2025 fiscal framework.
Alausa emphasised that the presence of the BEA allocation in the current budget is purely procedural and should not be interpreted as a reinstatement of the scholarship scheme for new beneficiaries.
He added that any modification to the BEA budget line would require an approved virement to align with the government’s current policy direction.
The ministry, however, assured that existing beneficiaries of the BEA scholarship studying abroad would continue to receive full government support.
It urged members of the public to disregard what it described as misleading interpretations regarding the status of the scholarship and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources.
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