The education standard gap between Nigerian and United Kingdom universities may be reduced in the near future if Nigerian education system can be more practical.
This may help Nigeria attract back fleeing scholars who chase after globally recognised and career-enhancing academic qualifications.
This is as admissions officials in charge of West Africa for Middlesex University in the UK have commended the partnership between Aptech and Middlesex, saying Aptech has been very diligent while both parties have been much committed to the relationship over the years.
Favour Ugbaja, one of the senior admissions officers for Middlesex for West Africa, who spoke in Port Harcourt in the week, urged Nigerian universities to learn from Aptech because in the area of huge input practicality into their mode of teaching.
She spoke to BusinessDay at the end of the 2016 Career Quest by Aptech which featured the pathway from Aptech to Middlesex.
She said: ‘It’s not just the theoretical aspects of learning where Nigerian universities seem to do very well anywhere in the world. Aptech tries to focus on both, and that is actually why they can succeed in the UK. In the UK, education focuses more on the practical side so graduates can demonstrate what they learned with high degree of competence.’
Another important area of improvement in Nigerian universities, she stated, is equipment and modernization. ‘If you go to some of our universities, you would see that most of the facilities are outdated. It’s either they are outdated or they are not even in existence at all. So imagine that you’re learning a course as technical as IT-related programme for instance, and then you’re mainly learning the theoretical part. How would you compete when you graduate, or how do you excel? So first of all, we need to start really with facilities because that is going to aid in the practical aspect of the course.
‘That is why we are really impressed with Aptech and what they are doing and how they’ve kept up with their project and the partnership. Their cross policy and making sure that students stand out in the UK is very impressive.’
She said Nigerian students who passed through Aptech centres do very well in Middlesex, with some of them making First Class.
Ugbaja said Middlesex has had no major challenges but they have a very seamless process. ‘Most issues that students have are largely financial, especially with Nigeria’s foreign exchange volatility.’
The Middlesex official also praised Nigerian officials for fighting hard to get the best education for their children, saying Nigeria makes up 80% of the students going from West Africa to Middlesex (UK) every admission circle.
‘So you can imagine how hard it must be for those parents to put together such sums. There are some that had to wait for over five years after completion at Aptech to gather all the funds just because they want their children to have a better future. They believe that if their children can leave the country, get that global exposure, they can be better career-wise, employment otherwise. So that’s commendable.’
Relevance, Aptech’s success key:
In an interview, Kallol Mukherjee, executive vice president of Aptech and head, International Business, said Aptech has always believed to be relevant. ‘When we see the world changing in terms of the artificial intelligence uncertainty, Aptech has ensured that the future of my Port Harcourt students are in secure hands, and they will be taught the latest, and being future-proof for getting the relevant and desired job.
‘The motto of Aptech has always been employability. The competition that we have is only employability. Nothing else. So we address the competition called employability, my students, my youth are happy.’
On fears over AI, the tech management guru said its half knowledge that is the concern because, according to him, half knowledge is always detrimental. ‘We, at Aptech, we teach you what AI is and why it is not something that you can get scared of and you should get worried about. Computer age scared a lot of people but now, they can’t do without it. We used to think when computer comes, jobs will go, but when computers came, job market increased 10 fold.
‘So AI will not take out jobs. AI will only fine-tune the knowledge of the person. And we are fine-tuning that particular mind and knowledge so that my students are relevant in this AI world.’
He said India is an IT leading country and that India would play a leading role in the future of the IT world. In terms of laws and regulations, he said the way AI is being understood, or rather misunderstood, is being corrected. ‘We are doing everything within the framework of the law. That is why my courses are NYSC-compliant. I am an operating skill player for the last 27 years. So definitely we are with the organization and with the government of Nigeria, supporting their vision and their objective to make Nigeria the superpower.’
He spoke on how universities in Nigeria can regulate AI use by students to avoid excessive plagiarism. He faulted frequent or dramatic change of curriculum. ‘That is why Aptech comes into picture. That is why Aptech, which changes its curriculum or content every one year, is much more liked and much more time free or future free in terms of making students’ life perfect. That is why we are much more successful than the Nigerian university education system.
On regulation, he advised countries to make their local laws to regulate digital matters and AI use but must align with global regulations. ‘Every country’s ecosystem is very unique to the country. But with the digital world, with the way the world has got connected to each other, you need to also respect the global law. So the Nigerian law has to have a clarity of the global law and also respect the local law.’
To the Port Harcourt digital community, the Aptech international business head said: ‘Believe in yourself, and believe in Aptech. We have believed in Nigeria, that is why we have almost 70-odd network centres. Nigerians are very, very high in terms of their spirit, in terms of their energy, and they have a very good mind. So learn and learn. It’s the ultimate success mantra.’
Four Nigerian techies bag N40.4m study subsidy
Meanwhile, four Nigerian youth techies and scholars have bagged half scholarship packages worth N40.4m to subsidize their schooling in the United Kingdom. The subsidy also has a Nigerian component worth N8m out of the N40.4m booty.
The hunt for the subsidy ended Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the Bougainvillea Hotel on Sani Abacha Road in the GRA section of Port Harcourt where Aptech’s Career Quest draws were held.
The exercise was witnessed by Ugbaja, Senior Admissions Officer at Middlesex University, West Africa office in Lagos; and Mukherjee, Aptech International Business Head and Executive Vice President. Others were Sajan Rohan Suvarna (COO Raptors Group) and Sumit Sharma (head of operations, Raptors Group), that manage the Aptech facility.
The lucky techies who bagged the UK half scholarship were Mmesoma Ifeoma Alozie and Eleazar Udo, who would proceed to Middlesex University at half of the 17,200 British Pounds for their degree courses or whatever course level they are eligible for.
The others were Olalusi Olayinka Divine and Akum Maiden Orusha. The four have been scholars and technophiles studying at the Port Harcourt Aptech Centre but with opportunity to finish in Middlesex (or in any of their other two international campuses), a scheme that seems to help subsidize cost of foreign education for young Nigerians.
The winners of the scholarship were chosen by hand-picked draws carried out by two parents on behalf of all the other parents.
The draws usually elicit huge excitement when names of the winners were called. The scheme seems to attract parents and scholars.
Most parents say the scheme reduces the cost of maintaining children abroad for education. They say it guarantees international-standard education and opportunity to end in any top country abroad. Yet, they say, careers for their wards are guaranteed, both abroad or back home in Nigeria.
Each of the awardees expressed profound gratitude to APTECH for the scholarship opportunity their wards won. They promised to acquire more insightful knowledge and impact same on upcoming generations.
They also appreciated their parents for the love and investment of quality education in them that propelled them to such new heights.
Speaking, Ugbaja said both Aptech and Middlesex have played strictly by the rules over the past 18 years. She said the gateway was the best route from Aptech to Middlesex.
In his opening remarks at the event, Suvarna thanked the parents for consistency in their quest for their wards’ top education. ‘We are part of the Raptors group and we are the largest franchise, the initial or the first franchise for Aptech in Nigeria. We’ve got 12 centers across Nigeria now, with 24 licenses.’
Aptech is said to have over 70 centres in Nigeria, all doing well, sending about 120 students to the UK every year.
In his key address, Aptech International Business Head and Executive Vice President, said Aptech worked with Middlesex for 20 years so far, saying they decided to reach out to every single Nigerian. He said japa without top skill was like jumping from fire to frying pan.
‘We will make them aware about this particular association and what it brings for them in terms of taking their career ahead, and we launched the event named Career Quest.
‘So, we have been into this field of education for the past 40 years, with almost close to 1,000-odd centres network, and with an alumni base of 7.5 million students.’