931 Candidates from the South-West for PTDF Overseas Scholarship

931 candidates from the South-West for PTDF Overseas Scholarship 

A total of 931 individuals from the South-West region have undergone screening for the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) overseas scholarship program in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The screening event, held at the Faculty of Petroleum Engineering, University of Ibadan, was announced by Masud Mohamed, the Zonal Team Leader of the PTDF. Mohamed, who serves as Manager at the College of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna, reported that 749 candidates were evaluated last week for the Master’s category, with interviews conducted in both the morning and afternoon over a span of five days.

Additionally, he mentioned that 182 candidates are presently undergoing screening for PhD programs in disciplines related to oil and gas. He stated that the scholarship initiative is an intentional effort to enhance local expertise and close the capacity gap within Nigeria’s petroleum sector. “A key mandate of the PTDF is to develop capacity for the oil and gas industry, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Mohamed explained. “The screening focuses exclusively on oil and gas-related fields and has resulted in scholars contributing significantly to society.

” This initiative is part of a comprehensive nationwide decentralized screening strategy, with six centers set up across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. Mohamed indicated that this method is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda regarding human capacity development.

Some candidates, including Funke Olaonipekun and Uchechukwu Ginika, shared their positive impressions of the process. Olaonipekun characterized the exercise as equitable and transparent, while Ginika, a PhD applicant to the University of Strasbourg in France, praised the PTDF for its dedication to promoting education in Nigeria.

The PTDF’s overseas scholarship program has been operational for several years, supporting postgraduate education abroad in areas vital for the advancement of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.