The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said about 8,000 Nigerians are studying in the country, while 220 others in the United Kingdom under the presidential amnesty programme (PAP).

Idris spoke on Wednesday when he met beneficiaries of the programme in the UK on the sidelines of President Bola Tinubu’s state visit at the invitation of King Charles III.

Also in attendance was Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources.

PAP was established in 2009 by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to address militancy, insurgency, and unrest in the Niger Delta.

The move followed the disruption of oil production through kidnappings, bombings, and other activities by armed groups over alleged environmental damage, lack of development, and resource control in the region.

In a statement shared via X, the information minister expressed delight at meeting some of the beneficiaries of the presidential programmes nearly two decades after its establishment.

“It is very heartwarming to witness the impact of the program first hand and interact with beneficiaries,” he wrote.

“The President’s desire is to ensure that all Nigerians, including and especially the youth, are given the right opportunity to thrive and to contribute meaningfully to development of the country.”

Idris said the Niger Delta was once filled with deprivation, degradation and disorder, but through initiatives like the PAP and others, that story has changed for the better.

“The Programme Administrator/Coordinator, Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, informed me that there are over 8,000 students studying in Nigeria at the moment, and over 220 undergoing various studies in the UK,” the minister added.

He described PAP as “one of the best programmes” Nigeria has ever delivered, adding that the Tinubu administration will continue to reposition and strengthen the programme.