Oil & Gas: PTDF interviews 5,885 Nigerians for 2026 overseas scholarship

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

No fewer than 5,885 Nigerian graduates have been shortlisted for interviews under the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) 2026/2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme, out of over 38,000 applicants.

The Deputy General Manager, Education and Training at PTDF, Bello Mustapha, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the commencement of the selection interviews for MSc and PhD candidates.

Mustapha said the interviews, which began on April 7, would run until April 17, 2026, and are being conducted simultaneously across six centres in the country’s geo-political zones.

According to him, the centres include Abuja for the North-Central, Bauchi for the North-East, Kaduna for the North-West, Rivers for the South-South, Enugu for the South-East, and Oyo for the South-West.

“We are here to commence the interview process for the 2026/2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme. We have just finished briefing the panelists, and the interview has started on schedule,” he said.

He explained that while over 38,000 Nigerians applied for the programme, only 5,885 candidates met the criteria for short listing.

“We have our own parameters. Applicants must meet specific academic requirements such as first class, second class upper, or in some cases second class lower degrees, alongside relevant work experience and strong academic records,” he said.

Mustapha added that the Fund maintains partnerships with institutions in countries including Germany, France, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, where successful candidates would undertake their studies.

On fairness in the selection process, he stressed that the principle of federal character is strictly applied in the final selection.

“Each state is allocated a specific number of slots. For instance, if three MSc slots are approved per state, each state will produce three successful candidates. However, oil-producing states may receive additional slots,” he explained.

He also noted that officials of the Federal Character Commission are involved in monitoring the process to ensure transparency and equity.

While declining to state the exact number of eventual beneficiaries, Mustapha said the final figure would depend on budgetary provisions and approval by PTDF management.

“The number of successful candidates will be determined by the available budget,” he said.

The PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme is designed to build local capacity in the oil and gas sector, with a focus on petroleum-related disciplines and other relevant fields such as management and petroleum law.