By 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 reinstatement of the programme for new applicants.
In a press release dated April 30, 2026, the Ministry explained that the budgetary provision stems from the 2025 fiscal framework, which had already been approved before the Federal Government suspended new BEA scholarship awards between April and May 2025.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, stated that due to established budgetary procedures, previously approved allocations such as the BEA scholarship cannot be removed retroactively, hence their appearance in the 2026 budget.
“The presence of the BEA allocation in the 2026 budget is purely procedural and does not indicate a reversal of government policy on the suspension of new awards,” the minister said.
He further noted that the 2026 budget largely reflects a roll-over of the 2025 framework, with existing budget lines carried forward as part of standard fiscal practice rather than a shift in policy direction.
While dismissing claims of a reinstatement, the Ministry reassured that all ongoing beneficiaries of the BEA scholarship studying abroad will continue to receive full government support, urging the public to disregard misleading interpretations of the budget inclusion.
