UNESCO ranks Nigeria as the world’s third-largest source of international students, with Nigerians making up five percent of global student mobility in 2023.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has described Nigeria as the third-largest source of international students globally.

In its inaugural Higher Education Global Trends Report published on Tuesday, UNESCO said Nigeria accounted for five percent of all internationally mobile students in 2023, placing the country alongside Germany in third position globally.
The report described “out-bound student mobility” as the movement of students leaving their home countries to pursue higher education abroad, noting that nearly half of all international students globally came from just 10 countries.
UNESCO stated that China topped the list with 37 percent, followed by India with 29 percent, while Nigeria and Germany each accounted for five percent. Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the United States, France, Pakistan and Nepal each recorded four percent.
According to the report, the 10 countries collectively accounted for 45 percent of all international students worldwide in 2023, highlighting the growing concentration of global student migration among a small group of nations.
UNESCO also reported a significant rise in international student mobility over the past two decades, revealing that the number of students studying abroad increased from 2.5 million in 2002 to 7.3 million in 2023. The organisation projected that the figure could reach nine million by 2030.
Despite the increase, UNESCO noted that access to international education remains limited for many students across the world.
“Despite growth expectations, the proportion of higher education students benefiting from academic mobility remains low, just under 3 percent, underscoring the elitist nature of mobility as still only a privileged few individuals gain access to higher education opportunities abroad,” the report stated.
UNESCO identified economic realities, the quality of domestic universities, scholarship opportunities, visa policies and post-study work prospects as some of the major reasons students choose to study overseas.
The report further revealed that 35 percent of countries around the world now operate formal policies aimed at encouraging more students to pursue education outside their home countries.