EU awards 89 Nigerians fully funded Master’s scholarships
EU awards 89 Nigerians fully funded Master’s scholarships
05 July 2026 1:20 pm WAT
The European Union (EU) has awarded 89 Nigerians fully funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s scholarships for the 2026 academic cycle, as Nigeria retained its position as Africa’s leading beneficiary of the prestigious <a href="https://jiuniversity.com/australia-keeps-2027-international-student-cap-unchanged-at-295000-the-economic-times/” title=”Australia keeps 2027 international student cap unchanged at 295,000 – The Economic Times”>international scholarship programme
The announcement was made by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, during the 2026 Erasmus Mundus Pre-Departure Orientation held in Abuja
According to the ambassador, a total of 163 Nigerians secured admission into Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programmes this year, with 89 receiving fully funded scholarships, an increase from the 81 scholarship recipients recorded in 2025
Mignot said Nigeria’s performance places it once again as the leading beneficiary of the Erasmus programme in Africa and among the top five countries globally, alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and the United States
“This year we have about 163 Nigerian students admitted into these master’s programmes. This places Nigeria again, like in 2024, as the top country in Africa and among the top five globally,” he said
He noted that since Nigerians began benefiting from the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s scholarships in 2014, the programme has continued to expand, with the country now approaching the milestone of 1,000 scholarship recipients
Mignot further described Erasmus as the EU’s flagship education initiative and said that the programme provides fully funded postgraduate education lasting between 12 and 24 months, enabling students to study at least two universities in different European countries before earning joint, double or multiple degrees
He explained that the initiative reflects the EU’s commitment to providing young Nigerians with access to world-class education through merit-based opportunities
“It demonstrates the readiness of the EU to offer regular migration opportunities for young Nigerians to travel and study in Europe based on their merit, capacity and abilities
“It is indeed the concrete commitment of the EU to creating opportunities for Nigerian youth,” he said
The ambassador added that the EU would continue collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Nigerian universities to improve Nigeria’s global academic competitiveness
“We want Nigeria to get higher in the world ranking, to begin with in the top three. We will work for that together with the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission and Nigerian universities, and I’m sure we’ll get there,” he said
He urged the scholarship beneficiaries to be worthy ambassadors of Nigeria while studying across Europe and to return home with knowledge, skills and international networks that would contribute to national development
The NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, who was represented by Dr Chinelo Nwosu, commended the EU for its sustained investment in Nigeria’s human capital development
She encouraged the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity by acquiring knowledge and skills that would support Nigeria’s socio-economic growth
“Go to school, come back and continue to develop Nigeria. Be good ambassadors of Nigeria wherever you are. Work hard, stay focused, keep out of trouble and remember where you are coming from,” she said
Also speaking, Mrs Liman K.A.A., Director of the Department of Scholarship Awards, representing the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, described the pre-departure orientation as a celebration of excellence and the enduring partnership between Nigeria and the EU in advancing education, research, innovation and human capital development
She urged the scholars to uphold Nigeria’s image through academic excellence, discipline and respect for the cultures they would encounter during their studies
One of the scholarship recipients, Oluchi Yulis Myron, who will pursue graduate studies in cultural management, described the award as a life-changing opportunity to gain global exposure and acquire skills that would strengthen Nigeria’s creative and cultural industries
She said she hopes to return to Nigeria after completing her studies and establishing herself academically to promote cultural management and heritage preservation in the country
The ambassador concluded by expressing appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, EU Member States and other partners for supporting the Erasmus programme
“Nigerians are among the best students in the world and European universities are keen to welcome them,” he said
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Source: thesun.ng
