On August 5th, 2025, UFABC had the honor of welcoming representatives from the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization, Americas (NIDOA): Mr. Uche Uzoigwe, Secretary General of NIDOA, and Mr. Chika Emmanuel, President and one of the organization’s Business Directors.
The visit followed previous conversations between NIDOA and Prof. Dr. Marcelo Caetano, UFABC’s Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies, in which the representatives were introduced to UFABC’s admission pathways through the PEC-G[1] program, as well as reserved seats for refugees and asylum seekers.
During the visit, Mr. Uzoigwe and Mr. Emmanuel were received by Prof. Marcelo CaetanoandProf. Dalmo Mandelli, Advisor for International Affairs at UFABC. The meeting aimed to further explore opportunities for collaboration, particularly in facilitating access to higher education in Brazil for Nigerian students.
NIDOA is an organization dedicated to promoting educational opportunities and fostering partnerships between Nigeria and various international institutions. The delegation shared that they have received an official invitation for partnership from the Brazilian Consulate in Nigeria, aimed at enhancing admissions through the PEC program for Nigerian students at Brazilian universities such as UFABC. This initiative represents a significant opportunity to broaden academic exchange and increase accessibility for Nigerian students seeking to pursue higher education in Brazil.
The delegation also expressed strong interest in strengthening ties with UFABC’s graduate programs, and in establishing communication channels to promote future calls for applications among prospective Nigerian students. As part of the meeting, Prof. Dalmo Mandelli gave a brief institutional presentation highlighting UFABC’s commitment to internationalization, inclusion, and academic collaboration – particularly with countries from the Global South.
[1] The Program of Student-Agreements for Undergraduate Studies (PEC-G) offers international students free spots for a complete undergraduate degree in Brazil. There are spots for courses in all fields of study, with no tuition costs or admission exams. PEC-G is a type of Student-Agreement Program (PEC), an official program of the Brazilian government.