UK universities urged to diversify Sub-Saharan Africa strategies

['Polly Nash', 'Polly Graduated With A Degree In History', 'English Literature The University Of Edinburgh During Which She Did A Year Abroad In Sunny Santa Barbara. She Went On To Study International Journalism At City', 'University Of London. At The Pie', 'Polly Reports On All Things International Higher Education With A Focus On The Us'] The PIE News 2026-07-30 14:58:20

Q1 2026 visa data showed refusal rates for Sub-Saharan Africa rise to 22%, the highest for this period in recent years and considerably more than the previous year’s 6% Q1 denial rate. It cites the World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse 2025 study, finding that Sub-Saharan Africa must create 25 million jobs annually over the next 25 years to absorb its growing workforce. In parallel, UK TNE enrolments have more than doubled in this time, pointing to a maturing and diversifying market. “Sub-Saharan Africa is to a great extent a vast unexplored market with great opportunity for UK HEIs,” said Ofem, highlighting further opportunities in Mauritius, Cameroon, Rwanda and Tanzania, among others. He said it was imperative for universities to understand the unique context of each nation to deliver country-specific strategies.