Eighty-five Nigerians have been selected by the United Kingdom Government to pursue master’s and doctoral studies in 2025 under the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarship schemes.
The British High Commission, in a statement on Thursday, said this year’s recipients include 39 Chevening scholars, one Chevening fellow, and 45 Commonwealth scholars.
A pre-departure ceremony was held in Abuja on Wednesday for scholars from the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring states, while a similar event is scheduled for September in Lagos.
At the Abuja reception, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria commended the awardees for emerging successful in what she described as a highly competitive process. She noted that the scholars would act as ambassadors of the UK while contributing to positive change in Nigeria on their return.
The British Council’s Director of Programmes encouraged the recipients to maximise the opportunity, stressing that the skills, knowledge, and networks they gain abroad would be critical to driving innovation and development in Nigeria.
Among the 2025 awardees is Tijjani Mukaddas, the Chevening Fellow, who will study at the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies. He said the fellowship would equip him to design impactful education policies to address the challenge of over 18 million Nigerian children currently out of school.
Another recipient, Commonwealth scholar Cynthia Okoli, who will study at the Royal Veterinary College and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, described the scholarship as a chance to build networks across cultures and strengthen her expertise in multidisciplinary work.
The Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships are designed for individuals who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to national development. Nigeria hosts one of the largest alumni bases globally, with over 4,500 beneficiaries around 3,000 from the Commonwealth programme and 1,500 from Chevening. Many of them now hold leadership positions in government, academia, and the private sector.
