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

Moscow is now offering more programs for students to come and study in the country, Abdullahi Shehu told RT

There has been an uptick in Russian scholarships for students from Nigeria, a move that has “strategic significance,” Nigeria’s ambassador to Russia, Professor Abdullahi Yibaikwal Shehu, told RT in an exclusive interview.

He noted that Russian officials have increased an educational program that began during the Soviet era. According to him, at the moment, more than 485 Nigerian students are studying under the Bilateral Scholarship Agreement and about a total of 2,000 Nigerian students studying 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.

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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.