EU awards 89 fully funded Erasmus scholarships to Nigerians

The European Union has awarded 89 fully funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s scholarships to Nigerian students for the 2026 academic cycle, reaffirming Nigeria’s position as Africa’s leading beneficiary of the prestigious international scholarship programme.

The announcement was made by the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, during the 2026 Erasmus Mundus Pre-Departure Orientation held in Abuja for scholarship recipients preparing to commence postgraduate studies across Europe, in a statement on Sunday.

According to Mignot, 163 Nigerian students were admitted into Erasmus Mundus master’s programmes this year, with 89 securing the highly competitive fully funded scholarships, placing Nigeria once again at the top in Africa and among the world’s five leading countries for admissions into the programme.

“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, together with Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and the United States,” the statement quoted Mignot as saying.

He noted that the 2026 scholarship awards represent an increase from 81 Nigerian recipients in 2025, adding that the programme is approaching the milestone of 1,000 Nigerian scholarship beneficiaries since the country joined the initiative in 2014.

“We have 89 scholarship awardees this year, up from 81 in 2025,” he added.

The ambassador described the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programme as one of the world’s most competitive postgraduate scholarship schemes, offering fully funded education that enables students to study at at least two universities in two participating European countries before earning joint, double or multiple master’s degrees.

He said the European Union would continue collaborating with Nigeria to expand access to global educational opportunities and improve the country’s performance under the programme.

“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.

Mignot said the Erasmus programme reflects the European Union’s commitment to creating opportunities for talented young Nigerians through merit-based access to world-class education.

“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.

While congratulating the scholars, the ambassador urged them to uphold Nigeria’s image during their studies abroad and return home equipped with the knowledge and experience needed to contribute to national development.

Related News Natasha installs free internet at Kogi federal college

Meet three Nigerian students competing with over 150 countries at global STEM Olympiad

Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not

“You will be the ambassadors of Nigeria across Europe. And once you are back, we expect you to become true ambassadors of Europe in Nigeria,” he added.

Representing the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, the Director of the Directorate of Students, Dr Chinelo Nwosu, commended the European Union for its sustained investment in Nigeria’s human capital development.

She encouraged the beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunity and return to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s 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, the Director of the Department of Scholarship Awards in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Liman K.A.A., who represented the Permanent Secretary, described the orientation as more than a farewell ceremony, saying it celebrated excellence and the enduring partnership between Nigeria and the European Union in advancing education, research, innovation and human capital development.

“Your conduct, character and academic performance will shape perceptions of Nigeria and inspire future generations of scholars. Be diligent in your studies, respectful of the different cultures you will encounter, and open to new ideas and perspectives,” she said.

One of the scholarship recipients, Oluchi Yulis Myron, who will study cultural management, described the award as an opportunity to gain international exposure while acquiring knowledge that would strengthen Nigeria’s creative and cultural industries.

“I wanted an opportunity not just to study abroad, but also to experience different cultures. One of the most exciting aspects of Erasmus Mundus is the mobility. You get to travel, meet new people, experience different cultures and even learn new languages,” she said.

She expressed optimism that the programme would equip her with global best practices in heritage preservation, which she hopes to apply in Nigeria after completing her studies.

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programme is the European Union’s flagship international scholarship initiative, providing fully funded postgraduate education in leading universities across Europe. Students undertake studies in at least two participating countries and graduate with joint, double or multiple master’s degrees.

Since Nigerians began benefiting from the programme in 2014, the country has consistently ranked among its top-performing participants globally. With 89 fully funded scholarship recipients and 163 admissions in 2026, Nigeria has once again retained its position as Africa’s leading beneficiary, underscoring the country’s growing reputation for producing globally competitive graduates.