Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The United States consulate has urged more Nigerian students to apply to attend American tertiary institutions.
Speaking at the formal opening of the EducationUSA centre on Friday in Calabar, Aruna Amirthanayagam, country public affairs officer, US embassy, Abuja, said there are options for more Nigerians seeking education in American universities.
According to NAN, he said there are about 4,500 educational institutions in the USA, making it one of the greatest learning destinations in the world.
He added that EducationUSA is an arm of the US government promoting education in the USA.
Stephen Ibelli, public affairs officer, US consulate general, Lagos, said the centre helps to facilitate the movement of Nigerian students to tertiary institutions in the USA.
He said thousands of students have gained admission into American tertiary institutions, and the US hopes for that number to increase.
“At present, we have over 14,000 Nigerian students studying in the U.S and we hope to grow that number and further strengthen the ties between both countries,” he said.
“This is where the EducationUSA Resource Centre comes in, so, we urge the residents of Cross River to visit the centre and learn about the educational opportunities in the U.S. free of charge.
“We are also opening centres in Benin, Akwa, Enugu to provide this information, so that students don’t have to travel all the way to Lagos Abuja or other big cities.”
On his part, Godwin Amanke, Cross River commissioner for education, said the state is proud to identify with EducationUSA.
The commissioner added that the state would take advantage of the centre to ensure that students get first-hand information on scholarships and empowerment programmes.
“The information given here is the information that people pay for, but through the EducationUSA Resource Centre, it is free,” he said.
“However, as much as it is okay for Nigerian students to travel to the US to study, all I ask for is for them to come back and develop our country when they are done.”
