The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that the inclusion of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship in the 2026 national budget does not signal a return to awarding new foreign scholarships under the program.
This clarification comes in response to public concerns and widespread online reports suggesting a contradiction between the reported discontinuation of the BEA scheme and its appearance in the current budget.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa explained that the provision is a carryover from the 2025 budget, which had already been approved before the government halted new BEA scholarship awards around April and May of that year.
He noted that the allocation cannot be removed retroactively due to the structure of Nigeria’s budgeting system.
Alusa noted that the 2026 budget largely reflects a rollover of the previous fiscal plan, with existing budget lines, including the BEA component, retained as part of standard procedure.
He stressed that the continued appearance of the scholarship in the budget is purely procedural and does not indicate the resumption of new awards.
The Minister added that any adjustment to the BEA allocation would be carried out through an approved virement process in line with government policies.
The Ministry, however, assured the public that all Nigerian students who are current beneficiaries of the BEA scholarship and are studying abroad will continue to receive full government support.
It urged the public to disregard misleading interpretations of budget figures, reaffirming Its commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources.
