Between 2021 and 2023, more than 1,425 international students were denied entry at UK airports, according to the UK Home Office. Among these, 161 were Nigerian, making up 11.3% of the total denied entries. Indian students had the highest number of denials, with 644 cases, or 45% of the total. Ghana and Bangladesh followed with 92 and 90 denied entries, respectively.

The UK Home Office didn’t specify why these students were turned away but mentioned common reasons such as not meeting Border Force officers’ requirements, presenting forged documents, or having inadequate English language skills. This occurred despite the students having valid visas and university admissions.

Critics, including immigration lawyer Dele Olawanle, argue that Border Force officers are overstepping by questioning students on academic matters, which should be handled by university staff. Some students had their visas canceled after failing to answer questions about their courses, even though they were already accepted by their universities.

Nelly Okechukwu, a Nigerian data analyst, shared his experience of almost being denied entry after being questioned about a course he completed years ago.

This issue comes amid a rise in Nigerian students studying in the UK. The number of Nigerian students increased from 44,195 in the 2021/2022 academic year to 72,355 in 2022/2023. Nigerian students and their dependents contributed about £1.9 billion to the UK economy in the 2021/2022 academic session, underscoring their significant economic impact.