Nigeria accounts for 5% of the world's outbound student mobility in 2023, placing it third among all countries sending students abroad, according to a new report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

UNESCO disclosed this in its first Higher Education Global Trends Report released on Tuesday, which shows that 10 countries alone produced 45% of all internationally mobile students in 2023, with the total number of such students reaching 7.3 million, up from 2.5 million in 2002.

China and India dominate the rankings by a significant margin, contributing 37% and 29% of global outbound students, respectively. Nigeria shares third position with Germany, both at 5%, while Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the United States, France, Pakistan, and Nepal each accounted for 4%.

The full top 10 countries for outbound student mobility in 2023 are as follows: China: 37%, India: 29%, Nigeria: 5%, Germany: 5%, Vietnam: 4%, Uzbekistan: 4%, United States of America: 4%, France: 4%, Pakistan: 4%, and Nepal: 4%

UNESCO projected that the number of internationally mobile students could reach nine million by 2030, driven by rising global demand and expanding government policies. The report noted that 35% of countries have set targets to increase outbound student mobility.

Despite the growth, the organisation cautioned that fewer than 3% of higher education students globally benefit from academic mobility. "Despite growth expectations, the proportion of higher education students benefiting from academic mobility remains low, just under 3%, underscoring the elitist nature of mobility as still only a privileged few individuals gain access to higher education opportunities abroad," the report stated.

East Asia and the Pacific accounted for 26% of outbound students globally in 2023, followed by South and West Asia with 21%. UNESCO attributed global mobility trends to factors including macroeconomic conditions, the quality and capacity of domestic higher education systems, government policies, visa regulations, and post graduation work opportunities.

The report described international student mobility as a topic of growing importance, noting that mobility flows have increased around the world to unprecedented levels despite disruptions caused by the COVID 19 pandemic.