UNESCO RANKS NIGERIA THIRD GLOBALLY IN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MOBILITY

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO has ranked Nigeria as the third-largest source of international students globally.

In its first-ever Higher Education Global Trends Report released today, UNESCO revealed that Nigeria contributed about five percent of all internationally mobile students in 2023, placing it alongside Germany in third place worldwide.

The report also showed that almost half of all international students come from just 10 countries, with China topping the list with 37 percent, followed by India with 29 percent, while Nigeria and Germany each account for five percent alongside Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the United States, France, Pakistan, and Nepal each making up four percent respectively.

UNESCO further highlighted a significant increase in student mobility over the past two decades, noting that the number of students studying abroad rose from 2.5 million in 2002 to 7.3 million in 2023, with projections suggesting it could reach nine million by 2030.

Furthermore, UNESCO explained that students’ decisions to study abroad are largely influenced by factors such as economic conditions, the standard of universities in their home countries, access to scholarships, visa policies, and opportunities for employment after graduation.