Nigerian graduates dey study multiple degrees sake of jobs no dey
Afta more than 200 unsuccessful job applications on LinkedIn alone, Nigerian student Modupe Osunkoya sabi say time dey run out for her to extend her stay in Belgium.
Wit three months left on her student visa, she go either get a job or leave di kontri.
But e get oda option - wey be to enrol for her third post-graduate degree since she comot Nigeria for 2017.
"I neva see myself dey do PhD but if I go home now, no job dey wait for me," di 28-year-old tell BBC.
High unemployment - one out of three young pipo no get work.
And comparatively poor living conditions mean say many bright pipo for Nigeria go rather take dia chances abroad than return home.
So last year Ms Osunkoya enrol for one doctorate degree for Estonia wey dey run concurrently wit her second Master degree for Belgium.
She settle for Estonia afta she receive no job or PhD offer for Belgium.
"Di studies na means to an end, and if God say di end is a permanent residency, why not?" she tok.
Her PhD for Future Cities for di Tallinn University of Technology na paid position.
At di end of di four-year research she fit apply for permanent residency.
She dey plan to relocate to di eastern European kontri for di course, which like those in Belgium, dem dey teach dem in English.
Ms Osunkoya na just one of many Nigerian students from families wey no dey part of di super wealthy elite to study overseas.
Last year, around 100,000 Nigerians travel abroad to study, according to ICEF Monitor, wey dey focus on international student mobility.
Many hope to become permanent residents of dia host country, and take one step at a time to achieve dia goal.
Studying about Africa - in Belgium
Another Nigerian student for Belgium, Bonuola, wey no want make we mention her surname to be used, say: "Pipo complete one Master degree, go back to do some advanced diploma below dia academic level, then some cheap certificate, all in a bid to remain legal for di system."
Despite getting a degree for economics in Nigeria, she decide to start from scratch wen she land for Belgium.
She finish one three-year course for business management - to buy herself time.
And she later proceed to do two-year Master degree course for management.
She neva rule out di possibility of a second Master degree and one PhD if she no fit find work wey go open di way for her to get permanent visa.
"I be African studying African studies for Belgium and e dey make me go mad."
Na so a third student, Ifeoma, (not her real name) wey dey currently doing her second Master degree since land for di kontri in 2019.
"I no dey take am seriously, just killing time [while I] decide on wetin to do," she add for di tok.
Tuition fees dey as low as 1,000 euros ($1,200; £850) per year and di relatively low cost of living for students for Belgium.
Compared to some oda European kontris, don make am be more attractive destination for many Nigerians from average-income backgrounds.
"Living expenses dey low - you fit get accommodation for 300 euros per month," Ms Osunkoya tok.
Like many odas, she comot home wit only a semester of tuition fees paid and enough pocket money to last a few weeks.
She finance her education as she dey work up to 20 hours per week, aand na because she dey legally allowed to work, and dey earn up to 1,000 euros per month.
But di preferred destination for students from financially better-off families ina still English-speaking kontris like Canada, di UK and di US.
Nigerian students for di area pass 13,000
Canada preferred to UK
Interest among Nigerian students for di UK don dey go down - from 18,020 for 2013/14 to 10,540 in 2017/18, one 41% decrease, according to ICEF Monitor.
One reason for dis fall na di removal of one visa wey go allow foreign students to work for two years afta dem finish dia studies.
Dat one plus, cheaper tuition fees, less stressful visa processes, and clearer pathways to postgraduate work and residency, na im make Canada more attractive destination for many students.
But di UK government don since reverse dia policy, hoping to claw back dia share of di lucrative global education market.
Like most foreigners, Nigerian students dey typically pay more than three times di fees wey UK students or those from EU countries dey pay.
But e fit dey hard for Nigerians to get white-collar jobs for di UK, and even more so in places like Belgium wia language dey count against dem.
Flemish, French and German na Belgium official languages and most employers dey want candidates wey fit speak at least two of dem.
Like most oda Nigerian students, Ms Osunkoya only fit speak English well, although she get basic knowledge of Flemish.
"Even if you get a post-study visa you go dey compete for jobs wit locals wey dey speak di languages better than you," she tok.
Some students also complain of racial prejudice, wen others say dem don become over-qualified and yet no get work experience.
Last week, Belgium revise dia immigration policy to allow students to stay for up to one year on dia temporary visas to look for job.
But Bonuola say she no go take up di option, because if she signe up for it, she no get fit return to school for further degrees if she no fit find job.
"E be like wen you dey caught between a rock and a hard place," she tok.
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