Fulbright Scholars Urge Govt To Harness Exchange Programmes For National Development

Fulbright scholars have called on the Federal Government to invest more in international exchange programmes, describing them as key instruments for national development, knowledge transfer, and global cooperation.

They made the call at the 20th Annual conference and 25th anniversary of the Fulbright Alumni Association of Nigeria (FAAN), held at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja) on Wednesday.

The programme was organised under the theme: “Nigeria-US Relations in Tertiary Education Development: History, Milestones and Possibilities.”

The event also featured the presentation of a commemorative book titled “From Exchange to Excellence,” an initiative of the association and award presentations to distinguished alumni including Senator Datti Yusuf Ahmed and the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch. Sonny Echono, amongst others.

Delivering his address, Professor Francis Nwosu, President of the association, said the association was marking a milestone of progress and promise in Nigeria’s academic development.

““We, as ambassadors of Fulbright ideals, share cultural diversity as our binding cord. Today, we celebrate the milestones of the Fulbright Programme in Nigeria since 1961, and with foresight, we see limitless opportunities and possibilities.”

Prof. Nwosu said it had “trained hundreds of Nigerian academics, injecting excellence into our tertiary institutions, patriotism into national life, and humanity into society.”

“The Fulbright Programme offers enormous, life-changing experiences. The most indelible marks on every Fulbrighter’s mind are those interactions with ‘ordinary people who do ordinary things that make everyday life livable’. These people do not just live the American Dream they are the American Dream.”

He urged the government to leverage the Fulbright framework in national capacity building, emphasising that Fulbright’s model helps curb academic migration.

“We recommend that the Nigerian Government invest more and build national capacity through the Fulbright Programme. TETFund, for instance, can diversify its Overseas Postdoctoral Programmes to sponsor Fulbright Scholars through a memorandum of understanding with the US Mission in Nigeria.”

“Fulbright Fellows record 99.99 per cent returnees,” he said. “We return to give back to the country. The programme is an antidote to the ‘Japa syndrome’. Instead of contributing to brain drain, Fulbrighters utilise their expertise for Nigeria’s human capital development.”

He also called for regional agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and others to invest in Fulbright schemes, “to develop their constituents and advance regional development goals.”

Representing the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Matthew Adamu, Professor Rhoda Mundi, lauded the enduring partnership between Nigeria and the United States in education.

“The theme invites us to reflect on our achievements and to explore new collaborations that will enhance research and teaching in our universities,” she said.

In his keynote address, Dr Chris Maiyaki, former Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), commended FAAN for sustaining a platform that bridges intellect and diplomacy.

Maiyaki described the programme as one of the most valuable and dependable channels for intellectual exchange and capacity building.

He stressed the need for deeper collaboration to address persistent challenges in education funding, infrastructure, and access.

“We must leverage the Fulbright network and international partnerships to strengthen curriculum reform, promote inclusiveness, and expand opportunities for women and marginalised groups,” he noted.

Maiyaki proposed stronger synergy between the US Mission, TETFund, and the NUC. “We must think of new models to scale up the programme’s impact. The next phase of Nigeria-US educational relations must prioritise joint research centres, dual-degree programmes, and digital learning platforms linking Nigerian and American classrooms in real time.”

Chairing the event, Professor Josephine Agbonika, Dean, Faculty of Law, Veritas University, Abuja, commended the scholars for their continued mentorship. “The objective of this workshop is to generate solutions to the problems we face in Nigeria through shared intellectual engagement,” she said.

One of the keynote speakers, Prof. Agbo Madaki, called for broadening educational exchange programmes and strengthening institutional linkages between US and Nigerian universities, leveraging alumni associations.