IDP to Connect Nigerian Students to Global Study Goals

Funmi Ogundare

IDP,​ a global leader in international education services, has stated its readiness to connect Nigerian students with global education opportunities through International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Speaking during the official opening of its first office in Ikeja, Lagos, recently,​

IDP’s Regional Director, Middle East, Africa, European Union, and CIS countries, Imad Chaoui,​ said with a growing and ambitious younger population, there will be strong demand for IDP’s services in Nigeria.

“As the world reopens after the pandemic, Nigerian students are determined to pursue their global study goals in key destinations such as the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, but they need trusted support to navigate their options,” said Chaoui. “From our leading IDP Connect research, we know that Nigerian students are looking for affordability, post-study work opportunities, multiculturalism and a straightforward visa process when considering where to study abroad.”
Chaoui added, “Today marks a real opportunity for universities around the world to attract Nigerian students to their campuses and for Nigerian students to secure a quality global education and platform for their career through IDP.”

Emphasising the organisation’s impact on students’ careers, he pointed out that in the last 50 years, “it has been there to support students. We are presently in 30 countries around the world.”​

The organisation, he added, offered “our services free of charge for students to choose the right course, in the right university abroad, to build a network with other nationalities and have a broader horizon, which is what they can use in the near future. That is why we are so passionate about what we do and what we offer.”

The organisation’s​ Country Director, Mr. Darrin Vardon, said with its established processes,​ Nigerian students will be matched with the right courses and also receive the right support to help them succeed.

“For more than 50 years,​ families have turned to IDP’s network of expert counsellors in more than 30 countries for guidance when embarking on major life decisions such as studying, working or living overseas. No other organisation has the scale, reach or quality to compare with IDP,” said Vardon. “Our experienced teams are ready to offer in-person and virtual support to Nigerian students and their families to connect them with life-changing education opportunities.”​

To celebrate the first office in West Africa, IDP held an event at the Lagos Marriott Hotel in Ikeja, bringing together local students, university and school representatives from Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, government representatives, and employees.