The Federal Scholarship Board has disclosed that it is considering an upward review of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) monthly stipend from $500 to $750, following the planned removal of fraudulent beneficiaries and the recovery of misappropriated funds within the approved budget framework.
This clarification was contained in a press release issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, which warned the public to disregard what it described as a coordinated campaign of misinformation aimed at discrediting the ministry, the , and the Renewed Hope Agenda on education.
According to the statement, the ministry “unequivocally reiterates its position that the purported BEA award letters currently circulating on social media are fake and fraudulent.” It added that the signatures on the documents do not belong to the Director or Secretary of the Federal Scholarship Board, noting that a careful review of the materials reveals “glaring inconsistencies.”
The ministry stressed that forgery is a serious criminal offence and confirmed that the matter has been formally reported to relevant law enforcement agencies. “For the avoidance of doubt, no BEA award letter was issued by the Federal Scholarship Board in the year 2025,” the statement said.
It further advised that any individual currently holding such forged letters should return to Nigeria immediately, explaining that the ministry has no record of, nor responsibility for, such individuals’ presence abroad and that “no financial disbursement whatsoever will be made to them.”
The press release stated that all legitimate entitlements have been settled except for outstanding shortfalls for 2023 and 2024. However, it explained that all payments are currently suspended pending the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation into widespread fraudulent practices involving supposed beneficiaries of the programme.
Preliminary investigations have uncovered what the ministry described as disturbing levels of misconduct by some individuals previously listed as beneficiaries. These include students who have dropped out, been expelled for poor academic performance, or are currently incarcerated abroad, yet continue to receive stipends through proxies.
Other cases involve individuals who have returned to Nigeria or relocated to other countries but still collude with fraudulent claimants by submitting forged documents to continue receiving monthly payments. The investigation also found beneficiaries who changed their programme of study, university, or city in violation of scholarship agreements, using public funds to pay tuition in unauthorized institutions.
The ministry disclosed that investigations revealed the complicity of certain individuals, including fellow students and possibly corrupt officials, who aided and facilitated the fraudulent claims. Alarmingly, preliminary findings indicate that about 50 percent of the programme’s budget has been lost to these activities.
According to the statement, funds meant for genuine and deserving students were diverted to individuals who now constitute the majority of those on the payroll, representing “a gross breach of the terms and conditions of the BEA scholarship.”
In response, the Honourable Minister of Education has formally engaged the and relevant international partners to investigate the abuses. Official correspondence has also been sent to Nigerian embassies and partner countries to commence a comprehensive and verifiable audit of all BEA beneficiaries abroad.
The ministry noted that some embassies relied on proxy-based verification instead of physical checks supported by video evidence, a lapse now under review. It said every kobo lost to fraud over the past five years will be traced and recovered, with all culpable individuals prosecuted.
To support the process, legitimate students were encouraged to report illegitimate beneficiaries anonymously to the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board via 08126803658. Whistleblowers with credible information will receive $150 per confirmed case.
