In the early 2000s, Nigeria ranked as the third-leading source of African scholars in the US, following closely behind South Africa and Egypt. At that time, South Africa held the second position. However, a significant shift occurred in the 2008/09 academic year, when Nigeria overtook South Africa to become the second-leading source of African scholars in the US. This milestone marked a turning point in Nigeria’s academic diaspora and international scholarly recognition. Since then, Nigeria has maintained its position firmly.
By the 2023/24 academic session, the number of Nigerian scholars in the US reached 931. This figure represents approximately 20% of all African scholars currently teaching or conducting research in the United States. Such a significant share demonstrates Nigeria’s continued ascent in global academic circles. It also emphasises the country’s strong intellectual capital and academic mobility.
The current data reveals how close Nigeria is to catching up with Egypt, which still holds the leading spot among African countries. Egypt has long maintained a narrow lead, but the gap is gradually shrinking. Given past trends, it’s not unrealistic to predict that Nigeria could surpass Egypt in the near future, just as it did South Africa. With sustained growth, it may soon outpace Egypt, redefining leadership in African academic migration.
