Turning Nigerian Academic Excellence into Global Advantage

The other day, I received a message from a young woman who had just graduated with a first-class degree in economics. She’d seen a post I made encouraging students to aim high, and now she was asking for direction. Coming from a humble background, she wanted to know how to take advantage of her hard-earned achievement.

As an advocate of great grades, her message touched me. Because I know this story. Perhaps it’s yours too or someone you know. You’ve worked tirelessly, sometimes under the harshest conditions, balancing power cuts with marathon study nights, choosing books over comforts, and now here you are: a graduate at the top of your class.

So, what next?

Oh, there are many paths.

But let’s talk about the education path, that powerful steppingstone to a life of opportunity.

First things first: ignore the cynics who scoff with “Who school epp?” or “Stay in Nigeria and build the nation.” As noble as those ideas sound, your first duty is to yourself and the future you’re building. Studying abroad does not mean abandoning your country; it can be the very path to returning better equipped to contribute meaningfully. If you choose to.

Even the country’s most revered leaders—Awolowo, Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa—left these shores to study abroad. A certain Bola Tinubu studied abroad too (?). So, if anyone tries to guilt-trip you about leaving, remind them that growth often begins with exploration.

Whether you studied Linguistics, Physics, or Crop Science, a strong academic performance, particularly a first class or an upper second (2:1), gives you a significant advantage in securing scholarships abroad. Call them crazy but most schools and entry-level employers would take a first class in Zoology to a third class in Biochemistry. They will give a scholarship to a first class in Mathematics and totally ignore a third class in Aeronautical Engineering if they both want to study a Master’s in Computer Science. That’s just the way the world works.

Commonwealth, Chevening, GREAT, Fulbright, Erasmus Mundus. All these names may sound prestigious and far-off, but they are within reach. Many universities in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, and Australia also offer merit-based scholarships funded by alumni, institutions, or governments. And yes, they often favour students from developing countries who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership potential.

Black students, especially from places like Nigeria, are often in a unique position. Why? Because your story matters. Your resilience, your drive, your perspective, these aren’t just inspiring, they’re in demand. Many institutions want to invest in you. They have seen Nigerians break records in their schools and are predisposed towards you. A friend studying in Scotland for his PhD told me a few weeks’ back that the Vice Chancellor of his school told him the best student he ever supervised was a Nigerian. See?

I always say that your undergraduate course doesn’t lock you in forever. In fact, it’s often just the foundation. What matters more is your postgraduate choice.

Let me tell you about a young woman who reached out to me years ago. She had a first-class law degree and wanted to study abroad. After some back and forth, she chose a Master’s in Applied AI and Data Science. Not law. Not international relations. Data Science. Today, she’s thriving, working in tech, earning well, and living a life she once thought was out of reach.

There are conversion courses that allow you to pivot into fields like Tech, Real Estate, Finance, Sustainability, and Policy. Choose wisely. Choose a course that has real-world demand, that can land you a job post-study, and that aligns with future-forward sectors.

One young man chose Real Estate Finance and landed a £50,000 job in the UK right after his program, above the national average salary of around £38,000. Another did Cybersecurity. Another Data Analytics. Their stories are multiplying.

So, what can you do next? Start researching. Spend time on university websites. Use platforms like Scholarship Positions, FindAMasters, and DAAD for German scholarships.

Tailor your story. Write a personal statement that highlights your struggles, triumphs, and your plans to give back.

Prepare early. Some scholarships close months before the session begins. Get your documents ready—transcripts, recommendations, and a good statement of purpose.

Network. Connect with those who have gone ahead of you. Their insights can be priceless.

Apply broadly. Don’t pin your hopes on just one school or one country. Apply widely and wisely.

Your first-class degree is not the end, it’s more accurately the launchpad. It can take you around the world, open unimaginable doors, and position you to make impact at scale, whether at home or abroad. One day, like Akinwunmi Adesina, who left Nigeria, after getting a first class at the University of Ife, for Purdue University, rose through the ranks internationally, and returned to serve Nigeria and, later, Africa, you too can choose to return.

The difference is that you’ll be returning with experience, expertise, and A LOT OF options.

Wouldn’t it be great to have such a choice?

Someday, perhaps I’ll put together a database of scholarships, forward-looking programs, and recommended universities. But for now, let me leave you with this:

Your certificate is more than paper. It is proof of grit, discipline, and brilliance. Don’t let anyone belittle that. Don’t let anyone talk you out of using it.

You have the power. You have the drive. Now go and use the internet, the tools at your disposal, and the information around you to build the life you deserve.

I, for one, can’t wait to see what becomes of you.

And I’ll be cheering, LOUDLY.

And if you are a student reading this, please get that first class. Please!