‘Fewer Nigerian students are studying abroad, our schools are now better’ – Minister

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has dismissed the notion of a mass exodus of Nigerian students seeking education abroad, asserting that the trend has reversed significantly under the current administration.

Alausa made the statement on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television, where he credited recent investments in the Nigerian education sector for making local universities more attractive to prospective students.

The interview followed a mention of 2023 data, which placed Nigeria third globally for outbound student mobility, with Nigerian students accounting for approximately five percent of global student movement, behind China and India. However, Alausa rejected these figures, describing them as outdated and not reflective of the current situation.

“That’s not Japa. And please, qualify your data. Thank God you told me it was 2023 data,” Alausa remarked, referencing the term “Japa,” which colloquially refers to Nigerians seeking better opportunities abroad. He explained that 2023 coincided with a period of significant disruption in Nigeria’s educational system, including long academic shutdowns and underinvestment in tertiary institutions.

The minister emphasized that the situation has changed drastically since then.

“2023 was when we came in. There was no academic continuity, no extensive investment in tertiary education. That was the reality,” Alausa said.

He added that the Ministry of Education’s educational support services department had been closely monitoring the movement of students abroad, revealing a sharp decline in the number of Nigerian students leaving for foreign universities.

“We’ve seen a significant drop in the number of students going out. Our tertiary institutions are now better, with academic session continuity,” he said.

Alausa highlighted the success of the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB), Nigeria’s equivalent of the British A-levels, as an example of growing confidence in domestic academic alternatives. Previously, Nigerian students sought this programme abroad to gain entry into foreign universities, but now it is oversubscribed in Nigeria.

The minister also pointed to institutions like the University of Lagos law school, which has turned away applicants due to high demand, as further evidence of the improving quality of Nigerian education.

“Students are staying here. The quality of education is significantly better. If you compare the 2023 data with 2024 and 2025, you’ll see the sharp decline in the number of Nigerians going abroad,” Alausa concluded.