Nigeria, Cameroon and Zimbabwe lead the pack of African students studying overseas

Europe claims the largest share (27%) of African students studying abroad, with France being the top destination for students from Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the report, the most popular destinations for Nigerians are the US, UK, and Canada.
Cameroonians prefer France and Germany, and Zimbabweans prefer South Africa.

A new report from Campus France highlights the trends of African students seeking education abroad. Many African students leave their home countries due to limited capacity in domestic higher education systems. By 2050, the college-aged population is expected to double, but only 9% are currently enrolled in higher education. This could limit economic growth and worsen security issues.

France has been a popular destination for African students, enrolling about a sixth of all outbound students. Europe, including France, Germany and Portugal, enrols the largest share of African students. The report finds that Europe claims the largest share (27%) of Sub-Saharan African students studying abroad, with France being the main host (14%), followed by Germany and Portugal.

In terms of destination popularity, the report shows that Nigeria, Cameroon and Zimbabwe have the most representation of students, with Nigeria being the first. However, the number of Nigerian students abroad has declined by 24% since 2015. Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire have seen significant growth in the number of students seeking education abroad.

In the past five years, France, the US, Turkey, Canada and Morocco have seen the highest growth in African students. Meanwhile, South Africa and the UK have seen a decline. African students tend to study License (bachelor's) and STEM programs in France, while the most popular destinations for Nigerians are the US, UK, and Canada. Cameroonians prefer France and Germany, and Zimbabweans prefer South Africa.