Federal Government Addresses Scholarship Suspension Reports
- The federal ministry of education has dismissed social media claims that the National Award Scholarship Programme had been suspended
- Authorities clarified that the federal scholarship board was renamed the Department of Scholarship Awards, with its responsibilities remaining unchanged
- The ministry confirmed that local scholarship programmes and support initiatives remained active despite the discontinuation of the BEA
The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed reports circulating on social media that claimed the National Award Scholarship Programme had been suspended and the Federal Scholarship Board dissolved.
In a statement issued on Friday, May 29, the ministry described the notice as false and urged students, parents and scholarship beneficiaries to ignore the information.
Source: Twitter
It maintained that no directive had been issued to halt any of the federal government's recognised scholarship schemes.
The ministry also clarified that the agency formerly known as the Federal Scholarship Board has only undergone a name change and now operates as the Department of Scholarship Awards under the ministry.
Are federal scholarships still available?
According to the ministry, the responsibilities of the department remain unchanged despite the restructuring. It said scholarship administration and support services for eligible beneficiaries are continuing without disruption.
Officials reassured students that existing scholarship programmes remain active and that beneficiaries would continue to receive support under approved schemes.
The clarification followed concerns generated by an online statement that suggested major changes had been made to government scholarship programmes.
Source: Twitter
Which scholarship programme was stopped?
The ministry explained that only the Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship Programme had been discontinued following a policy review.
According to the statement, the decision was taken as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria's tertiary education system and redirect resources toward local academic development.
Authorities noted that the development does not affect other programmes, including the Nigerian Scholarship Awards, the Federal Government Bursary for Education students and the Presidential Scholarship for former National Youth Service Corps members.
The ministry further stated that students already benefiting from the Bilateral Education Agreement scheme would continue to receive full government support until the completion of their studies.
What did the Ministry tell the students?
The ministry said it remains committed to expanding access to education through scholarships and other support initiatives.
It also disclosed that efforts were ongoing to improve local scholarship opportunities and strengthen student loan programmes across the country.
While condemning the spread of misinformation, the ministry urged members of the public to rely on official communication channels for updates on education policies and scholarship programmes.
The statement added that false information capable of causing confusion among students and families should be disregarded.
FG invites Nigerian youths to apply for scholarship
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government has announced the opening of applications for the 2026 to 2027 Foreign Master’s Postgraduate Scholarship Programme targeted at young people from the Niger Delta.
The programme is being implemented through the Niger Delta Development Commission and is aimed at building advanced skills among beneficiaries.
The Commission disclosed the commencement of the application process in a public notice shared on its official X platform on Monday
Source: Legit.ng
