09/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE
FAKE NEWS ALERT: DISCLAIMER ON FORGED BEA AWARD LETTERS AND ONGOING INVESTIGATION
The general public is hereby advised to disregard and treat with utmost caution the ongoing campaign of misinformation and calumny orchestrated by a group of fraudulent individuals, posing as students, and their accomplices. This coordinated attempt is aimed at disparaging and discrediting the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB), and the Renewed Hope Agenda on education.
The Federal Ministry of Education wishes to unequivocally reiterate its position that the purported BEA award letters currently circulating on social media are fake and fraudulent. The signatures contained in these forged documents do not belong to the Director/Secretary of the Federal Scholarship Board. A careful review of the documents, including those displayed in the propaganda videos, clearly reveals glaring inconsistencies. Forgery is a serious criminal offence, and this matter has already been formally reported to the relevant law enforcement agencies.
For the avoidance of doubt, no BEA award letter was issued by the Federal Scholarship Board in the year 2025. Any individual currently in possession of such forged documents is advised to return to Nigeria immediately. The Federal Ministry of Education has no record of, nor responsibility for, such individuals’ presence abroad, and consequently no financial disbursement whatsoever will be made to them.
As previously communicated, all legitimate entitlements have been settled except for the outstanding shortfalls for 2023 and 2024. However, all payments are presently suspended pending the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation into widespread fraudulent practices involving supposed beneficiaries of the programme.
Findings from Preliminary Investigations
Recent investigations have uncovered disturbing and unacceptable levels of misconduct by some individuals who were beneficiaries of this privilege. These include, but are not limited to:
1. Students who have dropped out, been expelled for poor academic performance, or are currently incarcerated abroad, yet continue to fraudulently receive stipends through proxies.
2. Individuals who have returned to Nigeria or relocated to other countries, but collude with other fraudulent BEA claimants by submitting forged documents to continue receiving monthly payments.
3. Beneficiaries who have changed their programme of study, university, or city in clear violation of the scholarship agreement, and are using public funds to pay tuition in unauthorized institutions or programmes, thereby rendering their awards null and void.
Investigations have also revealed the complicity of certain individuals, including fellow students and possibly some corrupt officials, who aided and facilitated these fraudulent claims.
Alarmingly, preliminary findings indicate that approximately 50 percent of the programme’s budget has been lost to fraudulent activities. Funds meant to support genuine and deserving students have instead been diverted to individuals who constitute the majority of those currently on the payroll. These actions represent a gross breach of the terms and conditions of the BEA scholarship, which clearly require honesty, good conduct, and accurate reporting by all beneficiaries.
Government Action and Next Steps
In response to these developments, the Honourable Minister of Education has taken decisive action by formally engaging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and relevant international partners to investigate these abuses. Official correspondence has been dispatched to Nigerian embassies and partner countries to commence a comprehensive, transparent, and verifiable audit of all BEA beneficiaries abroad.
Regrettably, instead of conducting physical verification exercises supported by video evidence, some embassies opted for proxy-based verification, which further compromised the integrity of the process. This lapse is currently under review.
Before any further payment is authorized, every kobo lost to fraud over the past five years will be traced and recovered. All individuals found culpable—including student accomplices—will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, in line with applicable national and international legal frameworks.
Call for Whistleblowers
To expedite the clean-up process, legitimate students are encouraged to anonymously report any illegitimate beneficiary known to them to the Director, Federal Scholarship Board, via 08126803658. Furthermore, individuals who previously collected funds on behalf of fraudulent claimants are mandatorily required to come forward immediately. Failure to do so will result in the total cancellation of their scholarship award and possible prosecution as co-conspirators.
Whistleblowers who provide credible and verifiable information will be rewarded with USD 150 per confirmed case.
Future of the BEA Programme
Following the successful removal of fraudulent beneficiaries from the payroll and the recovery of misappropriated funds, the Federal Scholarship Board is considering an upward review of the monthly stipend from USD 500 to USD 750, through the redistribution of surplus funds within the approved budget.
The BEA Scholarship is not an entitlement, but a privilege generously funded by Nigerian taxpayers to support sincere, disciplined, and deserving students. The ongoing attempts by fraudulent beneficiaries to blackmail the government through social media campaigns are condemnable and deeply unfortunate. Such actions tarnish the image of the country, undermine public trust, and ultimately delay relief and support for genuine students.
The Federal Scholarship Board reaffirms its unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and excellence in the administration of all scholarship programmes and it will never be cajoled by fake news and blackmail.
