TheCable

The European Union (EU) under its Erasmus+ programme has awarded 200 Nigerians with postgraduate scholarships.

Speaking at an event in Abuja on Wednesday, Samuela Isopi, EU ambassador to Nigeria, said beneficiaries of the scholarships would attend 75 universities in 20 countries.

Isopi said the number of recipients of the scholarships has quadrupled, adding that the students were 93 in 2020 and 133 in 2021.

“This is a master postgraduate master degree program that will run for 12 or 24 months, Nigerian awardees will go to 75 different universities in 20 different countries across Europe, including 18 European Union member states,” the ambassador said.

“During that period, they will have the opportunity to visit up to six countries across Europe.

“In three years since 2019, Nigeria has been able to quadruple the number of students participating in the program. Moving from the sixth to the second position right behind Pakistan.

“Nigerian awardees were just 44 in 2019 then the number increased to 93 in 2020 to 133 last year to reach the record number of over 200 this year.”

On his part, Chris Maiyaki, deputy executive secretary, said quality education is the key to opportunities.

“We are living in an age of knowledge, an age where education or human capital holds the key to our success and our opportunities,” Maiyaki said.