The Federal Government has dismissed as false and misleading reports circulating on social media alleging the suspension of the National Award Scholarship Programme and the dissolution of the Federal Scholarship Board.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Federal Ministry of Education clarified that no directive has been issued to suspend any recognised Federal Government scholarship scheme, assuring students, parents, and beneficiaries that all existing scholarship programmes remain active and operational.
The Ministry explained that the Federal Scholarship Board has not been dissolved but has been restructured and renamed the Department of Scholarship Awards (DSA) under the Federal Ministry of Education.
“The information being circulated on social media regarding the suspension of the National Award Scholarship and the dissolution of the Federal Scholarship Board is entirely false. No such directive has been issued by the Federal Ministry of Education,” the Ministry stated.
It stressed that the Department of Scholarship Awards retains the full mandate of administering Federal Government scholarship programmes.
“The change is purely administrative. The mandate and responsibilities of the former Federal Scholarship Board remain intact under the Department of Scholarship Awards, and all approved scholarship programmes continue without interruption,” the statement added.
The clarification follows the circulation of a purported notice on social media claiming that the National Award Scholarship had been suspended and that the Federal Scholarship Board had ceased operations.
The Ministry explained that the only programme affected by a recent policy review is the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, which was discontinued as part of efforts to strengthen local tertiary education and redirect resources toward domestic academic development.
“Following a comprehensive policy review, the BEA Scholarship Programme was discontinued to allow greater investment in strengthening Nigeria’s tertiary education system. This decision does not affect any domestic scholarship scheme,” the Ministry said.
It emphasized that other scholarship initiatives, including the Nigerian Scholarship Awards, the Federal Government Bursary Award for Education students, and the Presidential Scholarship for former National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, remain fully operational.
Reassuring beneficiaries, the Ministry stated that students currently studying under the BEA scheme would continue to receive government support until they complete their programmes.
“We wish to reassure all existing BEA beneficiaries that the Federal Government remains committed to honouring its obligations. Their scholarships and welfare support will continue until the completion of their studies,” the statement noted.
The Ministry also disclosed that efforts are underway to strengthen local scholarship schemes and expand student support mechanisms, including student loan programmes, to improve access to quality education.
“Our focus is on expanding opportunities for Nigerian students through enhanced local scholarship programmes and sustainable student support initiatives that will benefit a greater number of citizens,” it added.
Condemning the spread of false information, the Ministry urged the public to rely only on official communication channels for updates regarding scholarship programmes and educational policies.
“We urge students, parents, guardians, and the general public to disregard the fake notice. It did not originate from the Ministry or the Department of Scholarship Awards and should not be treated as an official communication,” the statement said.
The Federal Ministry of Education reiterated its commitment to promoting equitable access to education through sustainable scholarship programmes and other student support initiatives across the country.