Nigerian Universities Improving as Student ‘Japa’ Trend Declines — Education Minister

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has dismissed fears over the increasing migration of Nigerian students to foreign universities, insisting that the trend has reduced significantly under the current administration.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Alausa said reforms in the education sector, improved academic stability, and increased investment in tertiary institutions were helping to restore confidence in Nigerian universities.

The minister reacted to reports based on 2023 data which ranked Nigeria as the third-largest source of international students globally, behind China and India. The report also claimed Nigerian students accounted for about five per cent of global outbound student mobility.

However, Alausa argued that the figures were outdated and no longer reflected the present realities in the country’s education system.

“That’s not Japa. And please, qualify your data. Thank God you said it was 2023 data,” the minister stated.

According to him, the education sector in 2023 was facing major challenges, including disruptions to academic calendars and inadequate investment in tertiary institutions.

“2023 was when we came in. There was no academic continuity, and the level of investment in tertiary education was not what it is today,” he added.

Alausa revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education had been monitoring the number of Nigerian students seeking admission abroad through its educational support services department.

He maintained that recent records indicated a sharp decline in the number of students leaving the country for foreign studies.

“We’ve seen a significant drop in the number of students going out. Our tertiary institutions are better now. We now have academic continuity and stable academic sessions,” he said.

The minister explained that the restoration of stability in academic calendars had played a major role in rebuilding public trust in local universities.

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He also pointed to the growing popularity of the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB), describing it as Nigeria’s equivalent of the British A-level programme.

According to Alausa, many students who previously travelled abroad for similar pre-university programmes are now choosing local alternatives instead.

He noted that JUPEB had become highly sought after, reflecting renewed confidence among students and parents in Nigeria’s education system.

The minister further cited programmes such as the law faculty at University of Lagos and other top institutions, saying some schools now receive more applications than they can accommodate due to increasing demand.

“Students are staying back. The quality of education is significantly improving. If you compare the 2023 figures with those of 2024 and 2025, you will notice a major decline in the number of Nigerians going abroad for studies,” Alausa said.