The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said statistics indicate that 99,985 Nigerian students left the country to enrol in universities in the United Kingdom between 2017 and 2022.
The minister disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 2023 University of Lagos International Week on Monday, in Lagos.
The theme of the international week is ‘Breaking the Borders of Partnership’.
“Every year, over 100 Nigerian students benefit from the scholarship for postgraduate and PhD degrees; we have hundreds of professionals and entrepreneurs leaving our shores to break new grounds across our lands.
“According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), reports have shown that about 99,985 Nigerian students left this country to enrol in universities in the United Kingdom between 2017 and 2022.
Similarly, the minister disclosed that Nigerians who apply for passports will have it delivered to them at home, offices, and other places of choice from next year.
He stated that his ministry has started the automation of the process with a timeline, adding that Nigerians will soon begin to experience the “sweetness” of the passport application.
“We have commenced the automation of our end-to-end passport application process, and we have given a timeline from which Nigerians will begin to experience the ‘sweet experience,” he said at the event.
“By implication, Nigerians will not need to wait longer than two weeks before they get their passport.
“By January next year, Nigerians will be able to complete this application process online, and by February next year, with collaboration and partnership with other stakeholders, Nigerians will have their passports delivered to their homes, offices, and other locations of their choice.”
The minister noted that it is not limited to passport application as the ministry is making effort to ensure the process of visa application is also seamless with plan to open application centres across the world.
“While many may contend that majority of these students have simply ‘JAPA’ for other reasons, we cannot also deny the fact that a larger chunk of these students have left with the purest intent to seek further knowledge for self advancement.
“Now, in going all through this, therefore, I may want to ask why our students should now suffer to acquire international passports, even when they have paid for it.
“Their pursuit of breaking new grounds across borders is one which gives us great joy, as through our children, we sustain the future,” he said.
