Mr Adeniran Arimoro, the Programme Operator for the Educational Programme between Brazil and Nigeria, on Tuesday

urged more young Nigerians to first learn the Portuguese language before applying for studies in Brazil. Arimoro made the plea in Lagos.

He said that lack of proficiency in Portuguese language was currently depriving many young Nigerians from benefiting from the Brazilian government’s scholarships.

The Brazilian government’s official said that his observation had so far showed that there were no schools in Nigeria where the Portuguese language was being taught.

“We have just completed another selection process for young Nigerians studying in Brazil and it was only two out of the seven Nigerian candidates that passed the language proficiency examination.

“There is currently the barrier of the Portuguese language for many young Nigerians wanting to study in Brazil to contend with.

“It is obvious that for many more Nigerians to benefit from the Brazilian government’s scholarships, they really need to learn to

speak, read and write in Portuguese language.

“Nigerian schools and parents must, therefore, begin to encourage and open up opportunities for more young Nigerians to learn to read, speak and write in Portuguese and other foreign languages,’’ `he said.

Arimoro said that it was imperative for parents and wards to know the benefits of allowing their children to study in different Brazilian universities and colleges under the scholarship programmes.

He said that the beneficiaries of the Brazilian government’s scholarships would be automatically qualified to study in Brazilian universities of their choices at undergraduates and post-graduate levels.

Arimoro said that the exposure of young Nigerians to Portuguese and other foreign languages would also open business and career development opportunities for them in those countries in the future.