Lagos Offers 50% Scholarship for LASU Master’s Programme

The Lagos State Office of Diaspora Affairs has offered a 50 per cent tuition scholarship to students admitted into a new Master of Diaspora and Migration Studies programme at Lagos State University, in a strategic move to develop specialised expertise in migration, diaspora engagement and related policy areas.

The scholarship, available for the 2025/2026 academic session, forms part of a collaboration between the agency and LASU to strengthen the institutional capacity required to manage Lagos' growing relationship with its diaspora and respond to emerging migration trends. The initiative follows the approval of the programme proposal by the LASU Senate and the establishment of the Centre for Diaspora and Migration Studies at the institution.

Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Office of Diaspora Affairs, Jermaine Sanwo-Olu, said the idea for the programme and the Centre was developed in collaboration with LASU during his doctoral studies. He explained that the initiative reflects Lagos State's commitment to building stronger institutional structures for engaging its diaspora and responding strategically to emerging migration realities.

"For Lagos, diaspora engagement and migration are not peripheral issues. They are central to our development ambitions," Sanwo-Olu said. "We are looking at how we can better harness the knowledge, skills, investments, networks and global connections of Lagosians and Nigerians across the world, while also strengthening our capacity to understand and respond to migration trends. This Centre will provide the research, policy and knowledge platform required to move that agenda forward."

The 50 per cent tuition support is intended to widen access to specialised training in an area that Sanwo-Olu described as increasingly important to global development. Eligible candidates will be selected through a screening process, and the programme is open to graduates, academics, government officials, diplomats, development and humanitarian professionals, diaspora affairs officers and migration practitioners. Professionals working in related fields, including governance, maritime affairs, heritage and the blue economy, are also eligible to apply. According to Sanwo-Olu, applicants must possess at least a second-class lower degree, or its equivalent, in a relevant discipline, while relevant professional experience would be an advantage.

Former LASU Vice-Chancellor, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, said the initiative could help bridge the gap between academic research and policy in diaspora engagement, migration governance and human mobility. She noted that migration and diaspora relations increasingly influence economic growth, labour markets, investment, knowledge transfer and international relations, making capacity development in the field particularly relevant to Lagos.

"Diaspora and migration have become critical dimensions of contemporary development, with far-reaching implications for education, investment, innovation, human capital and international relations," Olatunji-Bello said. "The proposed Centre provides an important opportunity for LASU to bring its academic expertise to bear on these issues while creating a platform where research can translate into practical policy and development outcomes."

The full-time master's programme will run for three semesters and require a minimum of 36 credit units. Its curriculum covers diaspora communities and identities, migration governance, refugee and displacement management, labour migration, human trafficking, urban mobility and policy development, drawing on disciplines including history, sociology, law and economics. The programme is designed to equip graduates with the analytical skills and practical knowledge needed to address the complex challenges and opportunities presented by migration and diaspora engagement in Lagos, Nigeria and the wider world.

For Lagos State, the investment in this programme represents a recognition that the effective management of migration and diaspora relations is no longer optional but essential to the state's economic and social development. With a large and influential diaspora spread across the globe, Lagos stands to benefit immensely from a cadre of professionals trained to harness the potential of its international networks while addressing the challenges of migration governance.

The scholarship offer is expected to attract a diverse cohort of students from across Nigeria and beyond, creating a vibrant academic community dedicated to understanding and shaping the future of migration and diaspora studies. As the 2025/2026 academic session approaches, the collaboration between the Lagos State Office of Diaspora Affairs and LASU sets a precedent for how government and academia can work together to build the human capital needed to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.