Over 220 PAP beneficiaries studying in UK – Information Minister

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has disclosed that about 8,000 Nigerian students are currently studying in various institutions across the country, while over 220 others are pursuing academic programmes in the United Kingdom under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

Idris made this known on Wednesday during an interactive meeting with beneficiaries of the programme in the UK.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of King Charles III.

Also present at the meeting was the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri.

The Presidential Amnesty Programme was established in 2009 by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as part of efforts to address militancy, insecurity, and unrest in the Niger Delta region.

The initiative followed years of disruptions to oil production caused by activities such as kidnappings and attacks on oil facilities by armed groups protesting environmental degradation, underdevelopment, and demands for greater resource control.

Speaking after the meeting, Idris expressed satisfaction with the long-term impact of the programme, noting that it has helped provide educational and development opportunities for young people from the region.

“It is very heartwarming to witness the impact of the programme first hand and interact with beneficiaries,” the minister said in a statement.

Idris said the Tinubu administration remains committed to ensuring that Nigerian youths have access to opportunities that will enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.