The Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has called on Nigerian universities to broaden their international reach by attracting foreign students. Speaking at the maiden annual lecture of Osun State University in Osogbo, Gbajabiamila highlighted that this strategy is crucial to diversifying revenue sources and reducing the financial burden on the government.
He pointed out that universities globally rely on fees from international students to support domestic education and urged Nigerian universities to adopt this model. Gbajabiamila also expressed concern over the sustainability of public university education in the country, especially given the large number of applicants—almost two million—seeking admission annually.
“The reality is that neither the federal government nor the states can afford to sustain this number without establishing alternative revenue streams,” he warned. He suggested that Nigerian universities should study successful examples from countries like Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, where international students contribute significantly to the financial health of universities.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, commended the university for hosting the lecture and praised Gbajabiamila’s insights, stressing the importance of such discussions in shaping educational policies.
