KOICA Trains Nigerian Talent Through Master's Degree Training Program

On the 20th, KOICA held a master's degree training briefing for over 150 Nigerian public officials
Nigerian trainees returning after domestic training contribute to Korea-Nigeria development cooperation projects

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) held a "KOICA Master's Degree Training Briefing Session" on the morning of the 20th (local time) at the Veterans Affairs Hall located in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, for more than 150 public officials from major Nigerian ministries.

As part of its global training program, KOICA has been inviting public officials and public sector workers from developing countries to Korea to support them in obtaining master's degrees at domestic universities. Starting this year, KOICA plans to pilot a doctoral degree program targeting the ASEAN region. Currently, 407 master's degree trainees from 50 countries are studying in fields such as public administration, education, and agriculture in Korea, among whom 13 are Nigerian trainees.

The briefing introduced an overview of KOICA's global training program, the application procedures, and the training experiences of graduates. The degree training program promoted this year consists of 18 courses covering various fields such as economics, ICT, education, health, and climate change response, where trainees can learn theoretical knowledge, Korea's experiences, and global best practices. Selected trainees will receive about 17 months of education at domestic universities with KOICA's support.

Nigeria, located in West Africa, has a population of 200 million and possesses the largest economy in Africa. Accordingly, KOICA has continuously promoted its global training program to encourage the participation of talented individuals for Nigeria's development and future cooperation with Korea. Approximately 1,200 trainees have completed KOICA's training programs in Korea and returned to Nigeria.

Returned trainees are active in various government ministries and public institutions, and among them, the head of Nigeria's "Labor Arbitration Committee" is an alumnus. Returned trainees voluntarily organize "alumni associations" locally to share the knowledge and experiences learned in Korea with their country and also contribute to KOICA's international development cooperation projects.

Fatuyi Oluseyi, Deputy Director of Nigeria's National Budget and Planning Department, who attended the event, said, "Through the training opportunities provided by KOICA, more Nigerian public officials will grow into talents who lay the foundation for national development, and furthermore, it is expected to contribute to strengthening the relationship between the two countries."