The Counsellor for Public Affairs, United States Embassy in Nigeria, Adnan Siddiqi, has said that about N23.2 billion in financial aid and scholarships were granted to Nigerians studying in the US in 2022.
Siddiqi disclosed this on Monday at the opening of the 22nd annual U.S. Embassy and Education USA College Fair, EducationUSA.
According to him, financial aid and scholarships were granted to students advised by EducationUSA.
The counsellor noted that the fair provides information on studying in the USA and also career paths.
He said, “In the past year alone, nearly $30 million (23.2 billion naira) in financial aid and scholarships were granted to students advised by EducationUSA.”
The counsellor also disclosed that Mission Nigeria issued over 9,000 student visas last year, resulting in an astounding 405.3% increase in visa issuance.
After Texas, the top receiving states for Nigerian students are Illinois, New York, Georgia, and Massachusetts.
No fewer than 14,400 Nigerian students are currently studying in institutions across the US, Siddiqi said.
The students are said to be spread across 973 institutions, spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
He added that Nigeria sends more students to the United States than any other African country.
Siddiqi who was quoting a recent report said, “It is worth noting that Nigeria sends more students to the United States than any other African country.
“According to the latest data available, over 14,400 students are currently pursuing their studies in over 973 institutions, spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia. And if you are curious about the most popular state, it is none other than Texas.”
He attributed the increase in the number of Nigerians studying in the US to the annual fair.
“Our annual college fairs have played a pivotal role in boosting the number of outstanding applicants to U.S. institutions, as well as in securing additional financial aid and scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students.
“Many of those students attend a diverse range of institutions in the United States, from small liberal arts private colleges to large state universities.”
Representatives from forty-five U.S. colleges and universities were in attendance at the fair.
