Federal Government Refutes Reports of Reabsorbing BEA Scholars into Nigerian Universities

The Federal Government has denied reports that it plans to reintegrate Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholars into Nigerian universities following the cancellation of the BEA Programme.

In a statement on Saturday, the Federal Ministry of Education, through its Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, insisted that there are no such plans in place.

The government stated that contrary to media reports, no committee was inaugurated to oversee the reintegration of returning BEA scholars into Nigerian universities.

The Ministry emphasized that the public should disregard this misinformation in its entirety.

However, the government reiterated 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 Federal Government had previously announced the discontinuation of 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, which recognized that all courses previously studied abroad through the BEA are now available, and often of higher quality, within Nigeria’s universities and polytechnics.

The public is advised to rely only on verified information from the Ministry’s official communication channels to avoid misinformation. The Ministry’s statement emphasized that the government is committed to supporting ongoing BEA scholars and ensuring that they complete their academic programmes without any disruptions.