Co-founder and CEO of Immigify, Emma Olorunsheyi, has cautioned Nigerians against making the common and costly mistake of choosing student visas as their default relocation route, even when they may already qualify for the highly prestigious EB-1A visa category in the United States.
Speaking at the Immigify Global Leadership Roundtable at the weekend in Lagos, Olorunsheyi said thousands of skilled Nigerians unknowingly take the long and difficult path to relocation because they lack proper guidance on the immigration options available to them.
According to him, many professionals with strong career achievements, that is, people who have published research, led teams, built companies, or won industry awards, often assume the student visa is their only route, when in reality they may be eligible for the EB-1A “extraordinary ability” green card.
“The biggest mistake I see, especially among mid-career professionals, is rushing into a student visa,” he said.
“People abandon their careers, take loans, and return to school abroad, when the truth is that many of them already qualify for the EB-1A category. What they need is information and proper assessment.”
Olorunsheyi explained that the global demand for highly skilled talent has made the EB-1A category more accessible than many Nigerians realise, adding that the United States is actively seeking individuals who have made significant contributions in fields such as business, science, technology, medicine, academia, and the creative industries.
“If someone has built a successful business, led a high-impact team, won recognition, or contributed meaningfully to their industry, that person may already meet the criteria the U.S. is looking for,” he said.
“Instead of starting from zero on a student visa, they may qualify for direct permanent residency based on their achievements.”
He urged Africans to stop seeing immigration through the lens of fear or escape, but rather as a structured pathway to global opportunities when approached with the right guidance.
At the roundtable, which brought together top professionals, innovators and emerging leaders, experts discussed how Africans can position themselves in a rapidly changing global labour market without abandoning their identities or long-term goals.
Ayodeji Niyi-Adesola, Co-founder and CTO of Immigify, and Diana Melendez, COO and Director of Legal Programs & Communications, joined the event via Zoom and gave brief welcome remarks before the roundtable discussions began.
The gathering also featured the live final of the second edition of the Uplift Hackathon, where five startup teams pitched their innovations to a panel of judges.
Nyla AI, an AI-powered digital ecosystem serving users, clinics and pharmacies, emerged as the winner and received a N1 million grant. Zendit, a carbon-free logistics startup, finished second with N300,000, while VerionX (Ulo), a platform that turns student learning into earnings, placed third with a N200,000 prize.
Judges at the event, including telecom specialist Hassana Bulus, tech futurist Victor Ogunbiyi, HR leader Ayobami Akanle, and information security professional Iheanacho Josiah, praised the quality of ideas presented by the finalists, noting that young Nigerian founders continue to build products with global potential.
