A disturbing trend has emerged in the UK, where international students, including Nigerians, are being denied entry at airports despite having secured admission and visas to study.
According to data from the UK Home Office, 1,425 students were turned away between 2021 and 2023, with Nigerians accounting for 11.3% of the total.
The data reveals that Indian students were the most affected, with 644 cases (45%), followed by Nigerians (161), Ghanaians (92), and Bangladeshis (90). The reasons for these denials include failure to satisfy Border Force officers, presentation of forged documents, and English language proficiency issues.
Critics argue that Border Force officers are overstepping their roles by questioning students on academic matters, typically reserved for university officials. Immigration lawyer Dele Olawanle condemned the actions, citing instances where students had their visas cancelled for failing to answer questions about their courses, despite being previously vetted and accepted by their universities.
Nigerian data analyst Nelly Okechukwu shared his own experience, recounting how he was quizzed about a course he completed over a decade earlier. He narrowly escaped having his entry denied.
This report comes amid a surge in Nigerian students enrolling in UK universities, with numbers rising from 44,195 in 2021/2022 to 72,355 in 2022/2023. Nigerian students and their dependents contributed an estimated £1.9 billion to the UK economy in 2021/2022, highlighting the significant economic impact of international students.
