The new Consul-General of the Consulate-General of
Germany in Lagos, Mr Ingo Herbert, on Tuesday announced
his government’s decision to increase scholarships for
Nigerians and other Africans. Herbert told newsmen in
Lagos that his government had at its recent bilateral meeting
decided to increase its annual scholarships from 450 to “a
more reasonable number”.
“Before now about 450 Nigerians benefit every year from
the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). “But from
our recent bilateral meeting, the German government has
decided to increase its annual scholarships to Nigeria and
other countries from 450 to a much more reasonable
number,’’ he said.
Herbert said that the initiative was part of the German’s
human development agenda aimed at giving more Africans
opportunities to go and study in different German
educational institutions. The envoy also said that it had
become imperative to increase the scholarships following
the growing interest of Nigerians and other African in
studying in Germany.
“We have realised that after the U.S. and U.K., most
Nigerians and other foreign students like coming to study in
Germany,’’ he said. The consul-general said that German
universities and colleges had started courses in English
Language so as to be able to accommodate more Nigerians.
He restated his government’s commitment to encouraging
and creating the right learning environment for the would be
beneficiaries of the scholarships. Herbert also expressed
satisfaction with the successes currently being made by
some Nigerians that had benefited from the scholarships in
the past in their professions.