By Gbayesola Samuel

Claim

A viral notice claims that the National Award Scholarship has been suspended and that the Federal Scholarship Board has been dissolved.

Verdict

False. The Federal Ministry of Education has debunked the claim and described it as misleading.

Full Text

A press release titled “Suspension of National Award Scholarship and Dissolution of Federal Scholarship Board” has been circulating online. The publication claims that the Federal Government has indefinitely suspended the National Award (NA) Scholarship.

“The Federal Ministry of Education wishes to inform stakeholders, beneficiaries, and the general public that following prolonged financial constraints and accumulated unpaid scholarship obligations, the National Award (NA) Scholarship under the Federal Scholarship Board has been suspended indefinitely.”

The notice, dated Friday, May 29, 2026, also claimed that the scholarship programme was facing funding challenges due to the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the scheme, operational inefficiencies, and a growing backlog of unpaid awards across multiple academic institutions.

“As a result of these developments, beneficiaries are advised that all outstanding scholarship payments remain under review, with no immediate timeline for disbursement. The Ministry recognizes the concerns and frustrations of affected scholars and regrets the inconvenience caused by these circumstances.”

This fact-check examines whether the Federal Government officially released such a memo.

Verification

Findings by IndyPress reveal that the memo is misleading. The Federal Ministry of Education debunked the claim through a press statement signed by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade, and published on its official X account on Friday, May 29, 2026.

“The Federal Ministry of Education has debunked as false and misleading a social media statement alleging suspension of the National Award Scholarship and dissolution of the Federal Scholarship Board. The Ministry states that no such directive has been issued.”

The Ministry also clarified that the Federal Scholarship Board has been renamed the Department of Scholarship Awards (DSA) under the Ministry of Education, with its mandate for administering Federal Government scholarship programmes remaining unchanged.

Furthermore, the Ministry reassured students, parents, and beneficiaries that all recognised scholarship programmes remain active and uninterrupted.

It noted that although the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme was discontinued following a policy review aimed at strengthening local tertiary education, domestic schemes such as the Nigerian Scholarship Award, the Federal Government Bursary Award for Education Students, and the Presidential Scholarship for Ex-NYSC Corps Members remain operational.

The Ministry added that existing BEA beneficiaries would continue to receive full support until the completion of their studies, while local scholarship and student loan programmes are being strengthened.

It also condemned the circulation of false information and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting education nationwide.

“False information causing confusion among students and families is condemned. The Ministry remains committed to equitable access to education through scholarships and student support initiatives nationwide.”

Conclusion

The claim that the Federal Government has suspended the National Award Scholarship and dissolved the Federal Scholarship Board is false. The Ministry of Education has officially debunked the claim and clarified that recognised scholarship programmes remain active.

Members of the public, students, and other stakeholders are advised to disregard the circulating notice and rely solely on the Federal Ministry of Education’s verified communication channels for accurate and up-to-date informations.

Image Credit: Federal Ministry of Education