The United States government has announced a substantial financial commitment of approximately 23.2 billion Naira to support Nigerian students through its ‘EducationUSA’ programme. The announcement came during the 22nd annual U.S. Embassy and Education USA College Fair held in Abuja, where educational opportunities and guidance for pursuing higher education in the United States were discussed.
Mr. Adnan Siddiqi, the US Embassy’s Counselor for Public Affairs in Nigeria, underscored the vital contributions of Nigerian students to the US education system and economy. Nigeria stands out by sending more students to the United States than any other African country, with over 14,400 students presently enrolled across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nigerian students have made significant financial contributions, amounting to approximately $449 million, thus making Nigeria the top-ranking country in Sub-Saharan Africa for the number of students attending US higher education institutions.
The focal point of the College Fair is to provide students and parents in Nigeria with accurate and unbiased information regarding higher education opportunities in the United States. Mr. Siddiqi stressed the importance of international education and urged Nigerian students to utilize the resources available at the fair to explore educational avenues in the United States.
Additionally, Sam Gomez, the Interim Director of International Admissions at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, expressed strong interest in students from Nigeria while acknowledging the challenges they face in obtaining visas to study in the US.
The two-day College Fair, themed “Connecting Dreams with Opportunities,” was organized by the EducationUSA Advising Centre of the US Embassy and attracted a significant turnout, with over 1,500 participants. This event underscores the US government’s dedication to empowering Nigerian students and fostering international education partnerships, aligning with a vision of a more interconnected world through educational collaboration.
- Tags: Education, Nigerian students, US
