Russia has announced plans to significantly scale up its educational engagement with Nigeria and other African countries, with a long-term target of hosting 500,000 international students in Russian universities. This was disclosed by the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podelyshev, during a press briefing held in Abuja on Monday evening.

Ambassador Podelyshev revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has set a clear objective to boost the number of foreign students in Russia’s higher education system as part of a broader diplomatic and developmental initiative. Currently, Russia hosts around 32,000 students from Africa, including approximately 2,000 from Nigeria — a figure the Russian government aims to substantially increase.

“In line with the president’s objective, the quota will grow every year,” Podelyshev stated. “For 2025, 220 Nigerian students have already been awarded scholarships to study in Russia.”

The ambassador confirmed that these scholarships, approved in 2024, are set to cover the 2025 academic session, with preparations already in motion for the students’ arrival by September.

Addressing recent changes in Nigerian policy, which suspended government-funded transport and accommodation for students on foreign scholarships, Podelyshev explained that Russia has introduced a new grant structure. The revised package is designed to provide full support : including tuition, living expenses, and travel costs for qualified students selected under the scholarship scheme.

Source : Guardian Nigeria