Challenges confronting Nigerian students in Diaspora surmountable – FG

Abuja: July 8, 2024

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed his readiness to address all the challenges Nigerians studying abroad are facing, thus enhacing their well-being and in line with his citizen diplomacy policy.

Tinubu reiterated this reassurance during the fourth Diaspora quarterly webinar lecture series hosted by Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) with the theme “Well-being of Nigeria Students Abroad:  Struggles, Challenges and Solutions.”

The President was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Student Engagement,  Hon. Asefon Sunday Dayo,  and in attendance were the chief host, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NIDCOM Chairman/CEO, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and Brig. Gen. Y.D. Ahmed,  the Director General of NYSC.

Responding to some of the issues raised by the students, Hon. Dayo admitted that President Bola Tinubu is aware of the challenges students are facing abroad and noted that the government is working tediously to ameliorate them.

Dayo also urged the students to create more platforms to discuss and address these challenges and encouraged their leaders to escalate the situations to the appropriate authorities.

While recalling some of the impactful interventions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on students welfare, he urged the students to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in their respective countries of abode.

Speaking in the same vein, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa noted that the non payment of obligatory fees to students on scholarship abroad has been a recurring decimal which has to be permanently sorted out.

In his contributions, Prof. Oloyede, assured the students that the Board will continue  to guide them, especially on the choice of institutions of learning abroad as well as courses offered.

He advised the students and their parents to beware of fake and unaccredited universities abroad, urging them to do proper checks before sending their wards to foreign universities.

On reabsorption of some returning students in Nigerian higher institutions, he counselled the students to avail themselves of the guidelines especially in line with the Arusha declaration which stipulates that returning students  cannot be fixed in more than second year in the home institutions.

Brig. Gen. Ahmed, represented by Mr. Omotade  Folorunso described the webinar as a great opportunity to interface with the students, addressing their well-being as a national imperative for securing a brighter future for Nigeria as a whole.

He cautioned the students to avail themselves of the approved and accredited institutions abroad before enlisting in any, as the Corps will not mobilise any returning students for national service if the institution was found to be fake.

Earlier, Comrade Juwon Ojo Fayomi, President of National Association of Nigerian Students-Diaspora (NANS-Diaspora), who listed some of the challenges being faced by students abroad, appreciated the management of NiDCOM for being responsive and quick to intervene in the plights of the Nigerian students in the Diaspora.

He also expressed optimism that the lecture series will proffer better solutions to the needs of the students in diaspora.

In his presentation,  Mr. Yemi Soile, Head Coordinator of Nigerian Students Union UK,  highlighted some of the challenges being faced by Nigeria students abroad which need government’s urgent attention.

He commended Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa  for coming to their aid from time to time in terms of addressing some of their issues.

Contributing to the discourse, Mr. Uche Okugo, President, Network of Nigerians in Canada, appealed to the government to assist the students as the challenges were overwhelming for them.

Prof. Hakeem Tijani of Morgan State University, US, applauded NIDCOM for hosting the webinar and for the quality of the stakeholders invited to address issues.

Tijani, however, advised the students to think outside the box and not put all their challenges on government, expressing his willingness to mentor them on how to weather the storm in a foreign country.

Students who joined the meeting from across the globe raised several questions and concerns about non regular payment of  their scholarships, NYSC registration, Professional Body Examinations/registration, racial discrimination, passport and consular matters  and other issues affecting their academic pursuits abroad which were satisfactorily addressed by the relevant stakeholders.