The Federal Government has clarified that the inclusion of the Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship in the 2026 national budget does not signal a reversal of its decision to discontinue new awards under the scheme.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Federal Ministry of Education said the budgetary provision was carried over from the 2025 fiscal framework.
The statement quoted the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, as explaining that the BEA allocation in the 2026 budget originated from the 2025 budget, which had already been approved before the suspension of new BEA scholarships between April and May 2025.
“Due to budgetary procedures, such provisions cannot be removed retroactively,” he said.
Alausa further noted that the 2026 budget is largely a roll-over of the 2025 fiscal framework, with existing budget lines including BEA carried forward as part of standard practice.
He emphasised that “the presence of the allocation is purely procedural and does not signal the resumption of new scholarship awards.”
The ministry added that any adjustments to the BEA budget line can only be effected through an approved virement to align with current government policies.
It, however, reassured all that all current BEA beneficiaries studying abroad would continue to receive full government support.
The ministry urged the public to disregard misleading interpretations and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent resource management.
PUNCH Online reported on April 30 that the federal government cancelled the BEA programme, describing it as an unsustainable and inefficient use of public funds.
At the time, Alausa expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of oversight and performance monitoring under the scheme, noting that the government sponsors annual travel for scholars without tracking their academic progress.
He said BEA funding would be redirected to domestic scholarship programmes to reach a broader number of students across the country.
The decision follows months of complaints by stranded Nigerian scholars abroad who accused the government of failing to meet its financial obligations under the scheme.
Established through diplomatic agreements with countries such as China, Russia, Algeria, Hungary, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia, the BEA programme had allowed hundreds of Nigerian students to pursue higher education overseas on government sponsorship.
