39 Nigerian students have received fully financed scholarships from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), giving them the chance to work in Japanese businesses and contribute their knowledge to the development of Nigeria.
This was revealed on Thursday, September 01, 2022 in Abuja during the send-off of the beneficiaries by Mr. Yuzurio Susumu, the country representative for JICA in Nigeria, and Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, the Japanese ambassador to Nigeria.
The 39 students would gain access to three separate programmes, including the SDGs Global Leader Program and the Africa Business Education Initiative.
The third initiative focuses on a partnership for enhancing resilience to public health emergencies through advanced research and education (PREPARE).
According to Matsunaga, the programme aims to support Nigeria’s development in all spheres and to improve the Japanese-Nigerian universities.
“Japan and Nigeria have annual trade volume of around $1 billion US, but I believe there is greater opportunity for Japanese companies to come here.
“To invest and collaborate with other governments and also UN agencies to assist Nigeria to develop more.
“We have many Japanese companies with many technologies but the problem is that they do not know very much about Nigeria because the news media just release Boko Haram and how many people are kidnapped.
“But when I was posted to Nigeria, I see the big potential in Nigeria so my role is to promote more to know that Nigeria is attractive and let Japanese companies know more opportunities to come to Nigeria.
“Today we will send 39 very talented Nigerian youths, I really expect them to be good ambassadors, to promote and to strengthen Nigeria, Japanese relationship,” Matsunaga said.
According to Yuzurio, who is speaking for himself, the project aims to expand development beyond the governmental sector to the private sector, which is essential to the growth of every country.
“This project is critical for the development of both the public and private sectors in African nations.
“How to work together with domestic and foreign businesses that have experience with Nigerian businesses is crucial.
They have a tonne of opportunity to work with Japanese businesses at the programme, trade networks, and bring them to Nigeria to collaborate. Therefore, it has a huge impact on Nigeria’s development, according to Yuzurio.
The chance given to Nigerian youngsters to study in Japan and then return to Nigeria to make a positive influence was appreciated by the Japanese government, according to Mr. Bitrus Chinoko, the director-general of the Centre for Management Development (CMD).
The programme, according to Chinoko, who was represented by Mrs. Dorothy Esiri, a Director at the centre, was an investment in the nation’s knowledge.
“This time, there are a tremendous amount of participants, which represents a very significant investment in knowledge and education.
“Each of these individuals will return to Nigeria and make a difference in the many fields of study they will be conducting while at Japanese universities.
The Japanese Ambassador and the JICA Country Representative are excellent ambassadors for the Japanese government, Chinoko stated.
The event’s co-organizers and former beneficiaries, Mr. Aliyu Bawalle and KAKEHASHI Africa Nigeria Initiative (KANI), expressed their delight at the program’s expansion in Nigeria.
39 beneficiaries this year, the most since the program’s start, according to Bawalle, who noted that it is in its 9th edition.
