The economic downturn in Nigeria has left many international students in the United Kingdom struggling to afford tuition fees, with some at Teesside University being blocked from their studies and ordered to return home.
Debbie Fixter, manager at Thornaby’s Sprouts Community Food Charity (SCFC), reported that 75% of the charity’s clients are affected students, pushing the organization to “maximum capacity.”
Teesside University has stated it is providing support and that international applicants must show evidence of sufficient funds when applying for a visa.
SCFC offers a range of activities and provides food, clothes, and household items for free or at low cost.
Recently, the charity’s clientele has shifted to mostly Nigerian master’s degree students from Teesside University.
Nigeria is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with the naira losing more than 200% of its value against the dollar in the past year.
This depreciation has severely impacted Nigerian students in the UK, wiping out their savings and drastically reducing their budgets, making it difficult to cover living expenses.Some students have been ordered to leave the UK after failing to pay tuition fees on time, as reported by the BBC.
Despite this, Teesside University continues to recruit students from Nigeria.
Fixter noted that an increasing number of students in the UK are seeking help from community charities like SCFC.
“These students are really struggling and need help; they’re part of our community,” she said.
Student Boluwatife Elusakin shared that he has had to make significant sacrifices to afford living and studying in the UK.
The economic crisis in Nigeria has forced him to spend double his budgeted amount. “Things are no longer the same,” he said.
“I’ve had to cut costs because of the currency crash, which hit my savings hard. It makes me feel sad, but I hope I can endure just one year and all will be well.”
Fixter emphasized that SCFC is currently at “maximum capacity” and urged Teesside University to provide more support.
The university has donated £500 in Sainsbury’s vouchers to assist, but Fixter described this as a “drop in the ocean” compared to the needs of the students.
The university stated it works closely with community organizations to direct students to its support services and has provided vouchers and contributions to help these organizations support students.
“Teesside University remains a popular destination for students from across the world due to its global reputation for excellence in teaching and research,” a spokesman said.
“All international applicants need to provide evidence of sufficient funds to cover tuition fees and living costs as part of the visa application process.”
The university is offering “case-by-case” support to students affected by the economic situation in Nigeria.
