Data from the UK Home Office shows that between 2021 and 2023, over 1,425 overseas students who had been accepted to UK universities were turned away at UK airports.
Of those impacted, 161 were Nigerians, or 11.3% of the total; Indian students, on the other hand, led the list with 644 cases, or 45% of those denied entry. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
The data excludes foreign students who were deported by the Home Office for other offenses, such as working more than the 20 hours a week allowed or engaging in academic dishonesty.
The way in which these kids have been treated has come under fire, especially from immigration attorney Dele Olawanle, who has denounced the conduct of Border Force agents. Olawanle claimed in a social media post that by asking students about academic matters—a duty normally assigned to university officials—these cops have overreached their authority. He told stories of students who had been previously screened and approved by their institutions, only to have their visas revoked because they could not provide sufficient answers to inquiries regarding their courses.
A Nigerian data analyst, Nelly Okechukwu, also shared his experience, recounting how a Border Force officer quizzed him about a course he had completed over a decade earlier. He narrowly escaped having his entry denied.
The report comes amid a surge in the number of Nigerian students enrolling in UK universities, with the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data indicating that Nigerian student numbers rose from 44,195 in the 2021/2022 academic year to 72,355 in the 2022/2023 academic year. Nigerian students and their dependents contributed an estimated £1.9 billion to the UK economy in the 2021/2022 academic session, underscoring the significant economic impact of international students.
