Scholarships provided by Russia have ‘strategic significance’ – Nigerian envoy

The recent uptick in Russian scholarships for students from Nigeria has “strategic significance,” Nigeria’s ambassador to the country, Professor Abdullahi Yibaikwal Shehu, has told RT in an exclusive interview.

Russian officials have intensified an educational program that began during the Soviet era, he noted. According to the envoy, more than 485 Nigerian students are currently studying under the Bilateral Scholarship Agreement and a total of approximately 2,000 Nigerian students study in various universities in Russia.

He also told RT that students were acquiring technological knowledge due to their involvement in medical, engineering, and technological sciences, which “will help Nigeria develop.”

Members of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) in Russia have met first-class experts in technology and sciences and are “harnessing their skills to bring innovation” to the country, Shehu said.

Most recently, Russian educational centers have been established in Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In these facilities, local students will be able to study Russian and gain more knowledge about the country's culture and language.