The British Government has awarded 82 Nigerians the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships to pursue master’s and PhD degrees in the United Kingdom in 2024. This remarkable achievement underscores the ongoing commitment of the UK to support the educational development of Nigerian scholars.
The British High Commission in Nigeria announced this in a statement released on Friday in Lagos. According to the statement, 32 of the scholarships were awarded under the Chevening program, while the remaining 50 were granted through the Commonwealth scholarships.
To celebrate this milestone, a pre-departure ceremony was held in Abuja for scholars residing in the area. A similar ceremony is planned to take place in Lagos, ensuring that all recipients are recognized before embarking on their academic journeys.
Speaking at the Abuja ceremony, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs. Gill Lever, emphasized the UK’s dedication to fostering educational opportunities for Nigerians through a transparent and inclusive selection process. She urged the scholars to strive for excellence in their studies and to act as ambassadors for Nigeria while in the UK. Lever encouraged them to embrace the rich cultural exchange, build strong networks, and bring back their newfound knowledge and experiences to drive positive change in Nigeria.
“The UK continues to support the educational development of Nigerians and remains transparent and inclusive in the selection process across the board. I challenge each of you to aim for excellence in your studies, to be great ambassadors for Nigeria in the UK, and to take advantage of every opportunity during your scholarship. This should be done through growing your knowledge, enriching cultural exchange, confident networking, and then bringing those experiences back to Nigeria by doing great things for your country while creating a positive change in the world,” said Lever.
Similarly, Idowu Akintade, Director of Operations at the British Council Nigeria, expressed confidence that the scholars would utilize the skills and knowledge gained from this opportunity to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s development. He encouraged the scholars to build strong networks and continue to represent the Commonwealth and Chevening scholarships with distinction.
“I encourage you all to build a strong network and continue to be great ambassadors of the prestigious Commonwealth and Chevening Scholarships,” Akintade added.
