Recent data obtained from the Higher Education statistics agency revealed that 128,770 Nigerian students enrolled in Universities in the UK between 2015-2022.
In the 2015/2016 academic session, up to 16,100 Nigerians enrolled in Universities in the UK, while during the 2016/2017 session, the number declined to 12,655.
In the 2017/2018 academic session, the number further declined to 10,685, while in 2018/2019 there was a little increase with 10,810 students enrolling in U.K universities. In the 2020/21 academic year, 21,305 Nigerian students were enrolled at UK universities.
The 2021/2022 academic session saw a massive surge in the enrollment of Nigerian students in the UK, with 44,195 students. This figure was reported to be the highest so far since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
The massive migration of Nigerian citizens to the U.K has been an issue of great concern for the Nigerian government as several experts in the country have attributed the government’s poor policies as a major factor for Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad.
Meanwhile, in a recent development, the United Kingdom authorities have announced a new restriction that may restrain Nigerian students, and others from bringing their families to the UK.
The crackdown would see all masters students as well as postgraduate students banned from bringing their families to the U.K. However, the ban would not apply to Ph.D. students, whose courses are usually between 3 to 5 years.
This latest move by the UK government is coming after the number of immigrants skyrocketed to 1 million with the country’s ministers asking prime minister Rishi Sunak to get a grip on the surging numbers.
They disclosed that individuals migrating to the UK have been taking advantage of their relative student data as reports revealed that in 2019, students brought 135,788 family members to the UK. In 2022, reports reveal that Nigerian students reportedly brought over 60,923 relatives.
Investors King understands that In October 2020, the UK introduced a student visa to open up its borders to more international students.
The UK student visa allowed family members to apply for immigration as dependants. Holders of a student visa, including full-time postgraduate scholars and some other special cases, are allowed to list a spouse, a partner, or a child under 18 as dependants.
Nigerian students however saw this policy as a golden opportunity to immigrate to the UK with their families. UK Immigration revealed that Nigerians of all ages and employment statuses took advantage of this opportunity. Among all nationalities, Nigerians represented the largest relative increase in sponsored study visa grants.
For many, it offered an escape from Nigeria’s economic woes, including record-high inflation, and a crippled education system.
