Russia's influence in western Africa is expanding, and not only through military asistance to combat terrorism. The Kremlin has started an aggressive campaign to attract more African students to Russia.
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00:00The Russian consulate in Abuja, here in Nigeria's capital.
00:05Locals are queuing up to try to get visas to leave and study in Russia.
00:11Russia is amazing when it comes to scholarship.
00:14They are willing to educate our people at next to nothing.
00:19It's basically the educational system.
00:22Then also the reception to foreign students, especially Africans.
00:28Filming here is delicate.
00:30Most visa applicants we meet don't want to speak on camera.
00:34Worried it might not be helpful for their applications.
00:38Many of these people putting their hopes in Russia are planning to study there.
00:43Until a couple of years ago they'd more likely be wanting to go to Ukraine for further education.
00:48But since Russia's full-scale invasion turned Ukraine into a war zone,
00:53more are making plans to go to cities like Moscow.
00:58Kingsley stood in that consulate queue last week.
01:02Now he's got his Russian visa.
01:12There's nothing to keep him in Nigeria.
01:28Kingsley's getting ready to go to Novgorod in central Russia in a few weeks.
01:34That's where he will learn how to teach English to Russian students.
01:38Everything is paid for by Russia, except for the flights, he says.
01:58The number of students leaving places like this in Africa to study in Russia
02:03has tripled in the past decade.
02:06Russia's education ministry says there are around 35,000 Africans
02:11currently studying in Russia, including more than 1,000 Nigerians.
02:16Ghali Sharif is researching emerging powers like Russia and their influence in Africa.
02:24He says Russia is making it easier to get a visa.
02:28Russia is also doing that to its own advantage.
02:31You come, you study, we give you a scholarship, join our military,
02:36you know, if possible, you give us the support.
02:39Of course, every state is up to its own national interest.
02:42So the interest of Putin is we need more people to come to Russia,
02:46help us achieve our goals either in war or in economy.
02:51Kingsley speaks no Russian.
02:53He's source of information, social media and a Nigerian friend in Russia.
03:16But Kingsley is worried.
03:18He's heard about foreigners who've ended up in the Russian military.
03:23If Russia asked me to join the military at some point, I would be shocked.
03:29And as a person, I wouldn't go for it,
03:33because that wasn't my main motive of coming to the country.
03:37My motive is to come study for my master's.
03:40By the grace of God, I'll be safe.
03:43Nigeria has been a strong ally of the United States.
03:46But Western powers are losing influence in the region
03:50and Russia is taking active steps to win African hearts and minds.