Nigeria has retained its position as Africa's leading beneficiary of the European Union's Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's scholarship programme, with 89 students awarded fully funded scholarships for the 2026 academic cycle.

A total of 163 Nigerians gained admission into Erasmus Mundus master's programmes this year, placing the country among the top five globally alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and the United States.

The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, announced the figures at the 2026 Erasmus Mundus Pre Departure Orientation in Abuja. He confirmed that the 2026 awards represent an increase from 81 Nigerian recipients in 2025 and noted that the programme is approaching the milestone of 1,000 Nigerian beneficiaries since the country joined the initiative in 2014.

"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," Mignot stated.

The ambassador described the programme as one of the world's most competitive postgraduate scholarship schemes, enabling students to study at a minimum of two European universities across 12 to 24 months before earning joint, double or multiple master's degrees.

Mignot said the EU would continue collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, and Nigerian universities to improve the country's global academic standing. "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.

Representing the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, Director of the Directorate of Students, Dr Chinelo Nwosu, commended the EU for its sustained investment in Nigeria's human capital. She urged scholars to remain focused and return equipped to contribute to national development. "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.

The Federal Ministry of Education Director of Scholarship Awards, Mrs Liman K.A.A., described the orientation as a celebration of excellence and the enduring Nigeria & EU education partnership.

Scholarship recipient Oluchi Yulis Myron, who will study cultural management, said the programme offered more than academic advancement. "I wanted an opportunity not just to study abroad, but also to experience different cultures," she stated.