150 Nigerian students get $2m scholarships to study in America

The United States Government has offered 150 Nigerian students within the Lagos Consulate District scholarships worth $2m to study in various universities in the US.

Out of the students, seven who applied through the Education USA Opportunity Funds Programme were granted fully-funded scholarships.

Speaking on Tuesday at the 2017 Pre-Departure Orientation Programme for the students, the US Consul General, John Bray, said five of the seven students who got full scholarships were travelling for their postgraduate studies, while the remaining two were going for their first degree programmes.

Quoting the latest Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report, Bray said Nigeria had experienced a remarkable increase in the number of students pursuing higher education in the US.

According to the report, about 10,674 Nigerians are studying at more than 730 colleges and universities in the US, making Nigeria the leading source of African students in the country.

Bray counselled the students to comport themselves creditably in the US, asking them to be good ambassadors for Nigeria.

“I urge you to be exceptional ambassadors for Nigeria and to take seriously your responsibilities to be good citizens and scholars, just as I wish you great success in your chosen academic fields and a fulfilling experience in the US,” he said.