By Gabriel Ameh
📍Abuja | Media360Impact Report
The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that the inclusion of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship in the 2026 national budget does not indicate a reversal of the Federal Government’s earlier decision to discontinue new foreign scholarship awards under the scheme.
The clarification follows public concern and widespread reports suggesting a contradiction between the programme’s discontinuation and its presence in the current budget.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, explained that the allocation referenced in the 2026 budget originated from the 2025 fiscal plan, which had already been approved before the government halted the processing of new BEA scholarship awards around April–May 2025.
According to the Minister, Nigeria’s budgeting system does not allow for the retroactive removal of items from an already approved budget. As such, the BEA scholarship provision remained part of the 2025 budget framework.
He further noted that the 2026 budget is largely a roll-over of the previous year’s fiscal plan, with about 30 percent retained and 70 percent projected forward. This process automatically carried over all existing budget lines, including the BEA scholarship.
Alausa emphasized that the continued appearance of the BEA allocation is strictly procedural and should not be interpreted as a reinstatement of the programme.
The Ministry added that any changes to the BEA budget line in the 2026 Appropriation Act would require an approved virement, through which funds may be reallocated in line with current government priorities.
Despite the policy shift, the government assured that all Nigerian students currently benefiting from the BEA scholarship abroad will continue to receive full support until the completion of their studies.
The Ministry urged the public to disregard misleading interpretations of budget figures, stressing its commitment to transparency, accountability, and prudent resource management in the education sector.
