•9,000 student visas issued, 14,400 Nigerians currently studying in US
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The United States granted about N23.2 billion financial aid and scholarships to Nigerians studying within its country in 2022.
The United States Embassy in Nigeria also disclosed that in 2021 alone, Nigerian students contributed a staggering $449 million to the U.S. economy, quoting figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
The Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, Abuja, Adnan Siddiqi, gave these details yesterday, at the opening of the 22nd annual U.S. Embassy and Education USA College Fair, EducationUSA.
Nigeria is ranked number one in Sub-Saharan Africa and ranks 10th in the world in terms of numbers of students that attend higher education institutions in the United States.
Also, 50 per cent of Nigerian students studying in the US are pursuing graduate-level education, according to US Embassy, which disclosed that Mission Nigeria issued over 9,000 student visas last year, resulting in an astounding 405.3 per cent increase in visa issuance.
The Embassy said after Texas, the top receiving states for Nigerian students were Illinois, New York, Georgia, and Massachusetts, adding that no fewer than 14,400 Nigerian students are currently studying in institutions across the US with the students said to spread across 973 institutions, spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Siddiqi, said the financial aid and scholarships were granted to students advised by EducationUSA.
He said the fair provides information on studying in the USA and also carrier paths.
Siddiqi said: “In the past year alone, nearly $30 million (N23.2 billion) in financial aid and scholarships were granted to students advised by EducationUSA.”
He added that Nigeria sends more students to the United States than any other African country. Siddiqi, who was quoting a recent report added, “It is worth noting that Nigeria sends more students to the United States than any other African country.
“According to the latest data available, over 14,400 students are currently pursuing their studies in over 973 institutions, spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia. And if you are curious about the most popular state, it is none other than Texas.”
Siddiqi, while attributing the increase in number of Nigerians studying in the US to the annual fair, said: “Our annual college fairs have played a pivotal role in boosting the number of outstanding applicants to US institutions, as well as in securing additional financial aid and scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students.
“Many of those students attend a diverse range of institutions in the United States, from small liberal arts private colleges to large state universities.”
