The United Kingdom has witnessed a significant surge in study visa grants to Nigerian nationals, according to the latest official immigration statistics. In the year ending December 2025, UK authorities issued 30,204 sponsored study visas to Nigerian students. This figure represents a substantial 59% year-on-year increase from 2024, positioning Nigeria among the fastest-growing nationalities for UK study visas.
The data, released in a Home Office report on UK visa applications and outcomes, shows Nigeria placed just behind Pakistan, which ranked third with 30,781 visas. Indian nationals received the highest number at 95,231 grants, constituting 23% of the total. Chinese students followed with 89,019 visas, a figure that marked a 15% decline from the previous year. The growing trend from Nigeria stands in contrast to other global dynamics, such as when insecurity paralyzes Goronyo or regional tensions flare.
Beyond new entrants, Nigerian nationals were also a leading cohort granted study-related extensions within the UK. A total of 3,894 Nigerians already in the country were approved to extend their stay on the student route. This allowed them to either continue their studies or switch onto a sponsored study programme. Combined with extensions for Chinese (11,076) and Indian (5,968) nationals, these three groups accounted for over half of all study-related extensions granted. Overall, 34,538 main applicants in the UK received extensions to continue their studies, a 5% decline from the previous year.
The application process for these visas, including biometric submission at designated centres, remained unchanged. This period follows earlier reforms that began transitioning study and work visa applicants to digital records in 2025. The remarkable growth in Nigerian student mobility occurs within a complex global economic landscape, where nations grapple with diverse challenges. From a central bank that prioritises banking stability to the ambitious scale of projects like Nigeria’s N5 trillion economic plans, the environment for international education and fintech innovation continues to evolve. This growth story unfolds alongside varied international headlines, from corporate financial results like the Stanbic IBTC 2025 pre-tax announcements to sobering global events.
