Eighty-five Nigerians have been awarded the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships by the United Kingdom Government to pursue master’s and PhD programmes in 2025.
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 selected so far.
A pre-departure reception was held in Abuja on Wednesday to honour scholars from the capital and surrounding areas, while a similar event will take place in Lagos in September.
Speaking at the ceremony, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever, congratulated the awardees on their success in what she described as a “highly competitive selection process.”
“We are proud to see another batch of scholars depart over the next few weeks for the UK, knowing that they will come back and add to a very strong Chevening network in Nigeria.
They will return as ambassadors, bringing back experiences that will create positive change in Nigeria and the wider world,” Lever said.
The Director of Programmes at the British Council Nigeria, Chikodi Onyemerela, urged the scholars to embrace the opportunity fully, stressing that their training abroad would play a role in Nigeria’s progress.
Among the recipients is Tijjanni Mukaddas, the 2025 Chevening Fellow, who will study at the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies.
He described the award as an opportunity to help shape policies to integrate Nigeria’s out-of-school children into education.
Also selected is Commonwealth Scholar Cynthia Okoli, who will undertake studies at the Royal Veterinary College and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
She said she looked forward to developing professional skills and building networks that would enhance her ability to work in multidisciplinary fields.
Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships are awarded to candidates with strong academic records, leadership potential, and a commitment to driving development in their home countries. Nigeria, with more than 4,500 alumni, has one of the largest networks of both programmes globally.
