Many universities have deregistered students in the United Kingdom and advised them to leave the country according to a tweet by the president of Nigerians in the United Kingdom (NIUK), Benjamin Kuti, also known as Oluomo of Derby.
Although the reported increase in deregistration has also affected students from other countries, there are indications that for Nigerian students this may be due to foreign exchange scarcity and restrictions on part-time job hours particularly after recent immigration rules being implemented by the UK government.
Nigerian students, according to several affected students, have difficulty processing fee payments from their Nigerian banks, causing them to miss deadlines and consequently being sent out of school. They are also expected to leave the country within stipulated time as their study visas are revoked after the fall out with their schools.
The United Kingdom has implemented new immigration laws targeted at cutting down net migration. One of such is the inability of students, except doctoral, to bring family as dependents during their study. The new law will kick off in January 2024.
The new law will impact the number of Nigerian students willing to study in the UK as bringing family was one of the factors that made the country a choice destination for international students.
The most recent published data from the Office for National Statistics estimated that net migration as of June 2023 was at 672,000. The country said the figure puts untold pressure on housing supply and public services and makes successful integration virtually impossible.
