The attention of the Federal Ministry of Education has been drawn to a false and misleading press release circulating in the media under the title “BEA: Education Minister receives committee’s report.” The release falsely claims that the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, inaugurated a committee to oversee the reintegration of returning Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholars into Nigerian universities following the alleged cancellation of the BEA Programme.
The Ministry categorically states that no such committee was inaugurated, and no reintegration plan for BEA scholars is in place. The public is advised to disregard this misinformation in its entirety.
As clearly communicated in the official press release dated 07/05/2025, the Federal Government has discontinued the BEA Scholarship Programme as part of a strategic policy shift to prioritize and strengthen domestic tertiary education. This decision followed a comprehensive policy review, recognizing that all courses previously studied abroad through the BEA are now available—and often of higher quality—within Nigeria’s universities and polytechnics.
However, the Ministry reiterates that all ongoing BEA scholars will continue to receive full government support until the completion of their academic programmes. This includes tuition, stipends, and all approved entitlements.
The public is strongly advised to rely only on verified information from the Ministry’s official communication channels.
Signed
Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press & Public Relations
17/05/2025
