Nigerian students pump £2b in school fees, rent, health insurance, et cetera
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigerian students and their spouses contributed an estimated £1.9 billion to the United Kingdom economy in the past year, data analysed by SBM Intelligence from the 2021/2022 academic session shows.
SBM Intelligence estimated £680,620,000 was paid as school fees and £54.3 million paid in taxes by working spouses of students.
It also estimated they paid £41.7 million as health insurance, £408.37 million as rent, and £151.26 million as national insurance.
Foreign universities abroad profit from the deliberate and gross underfunding of tertiary institutions in Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, whose children and those of others in the political class receive foreign education at public expense.
Nigerians spent $609.5 million to acquire foreign education between January and August 2022, as documented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
They troop out in their thousands in pursuit of foreign academic qualification, which, for many, is a means of leaving the country.
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Nigerians’ UK study visas up 222.8%
British Home Office data shows the number of study visas granted Nigerians rose 222.8 per cent from 20,427 in June 2021 to 65,929 in June 2022, per reporting by The PUNCH.
This was caused largely by frequent and prolonged strikes by Nigerian university lecturers to protest underfunding of tertiary education.
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said about 76,338 Nigerians were studying abroad in 2018, the highest from an African country.
Reform Education Nigeria Programme Director Ayodamola Oluwatoyin listed poor government policies as some of the reasons Nigerians seek better opportunities abroad.
Scale-up Visa
The UK in August opened applications for Nigerians and other foreign nationals to apply for the 2022 Scale-up Visa.
London wants to see growing businesses attract talent to enhance productivity across the economy in the belief that scaling up is an important phase for high-growth businesses to continue growing and drive their international competitiveness.
A Scale-up Worker Visa (or Scale-up business) allows foreigners to come to the UK to do an eligible job for a fast-growing UK business.
Unlike other sponsored visas, Scale-up Visa allows businesses to employ high-skilled individuals who will receive two years’ leave to remain in the UK without requiring further sponsorship or permission beyond the first six months.
Eligible businesses are expected to attract scientists, engineers, programmers, software developers, research and development professionals, economists, architects, technicians, financial and investment advisers, among others.
Small businesses, tech and financial services, and other firms that have achieved growth of 20 per cent or more in employment or turnover year-on-year for at least three years, and employed a minimum of 10 people at the start of the three years, are eligible to sponsor talented individuals through Scale-up Visa.