Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has dismissed concerns over the growing number of Nigerian students seeking education abroad, insisting that the trend has declined significantly under the current administration.
Speaking on Tuesday, Alausa argued that deliberate investments in academic stability and improvements in institutional quality have made Nigerian universities more attractive to local students.
His remarks came in response to references to 2023 data which ranked Nigeria third globally in outbound student mobility, accounting for about five percent of students studying outside their home countries behind only China and India.
The minister, however, described the figures as outdated and not reflective of the current situation in the country’s education sector.
According to him, 2023 was a particularly difficult period marked by prolonged academic disruptions, inadequate investment, and instability across tertiary institutions, factors he said have since improved considerably.
Alausa disclosed that the Ministry of Education has been closely monitoring student migration trends and has recorded a sharp decline in the number of Nigerians travelling abroad for studies.
He attributed the development to improved academic continuity, reduced disruptions, and what he described as rising confidence in local universities and academic programmes.
As an example, the minister pointed to the growing demand for the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board programme, Nigeria’s equivalent of the British A-level qualification.
He noted that students who previously travelled abroad to obtain such qualifications are now completing them within Nigeria, with available spaces reportedly unable to meet demand.
Alausa also cited the University of Lagos Law programme and other leading institutions as examples of schools currently experiencing overwhelming application numbers.
The minister maintained that a comparison between the 2023 figures and data from 2024 and 2025 would show a significant reduction in the number of Nigerian students choosing to study overseas.