By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
THE Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced selection interviews for shortlisted candidates under its 2026/2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme, with the exercise running from 7 to 17 April 2026 across six centres nationwide.
The interviews are being conducted simultaneously across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, with centres located in Abuja (North-Central), Bauchi (North-East), Kaduna (North-West), Port Harcourt (South-South), Enugu (South-East), and Ibadan (South-West).
Speaking at the commencement of the exercise, Deputy General Manager, Education and Training at PTDF, Dr. Beldo Mustafa, described the interviews as a crucial stage in selecting qualified Nigerians for postgraduate studies abroad.
“We are here to commence the interview process for the 2026–2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme. We have just finished briefing the panelists, and the interviews have started as scheduled,” he said.
Dr Mustafa revealed that the scheme attracted more than 38,000 applications nationwide, out of which 5,885 candidates were shortlisted after a rigorous screening process based on defined criteria.
He noted that PTDF maintains international partnerships with countries such as Germany, France, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, where successful candidates will undertake their studies.
Providing further insight into the arrangement, Dr Mustafa said the six interview centres were strategically selected to ensure nationwide accessibility. He also clarified that candidates are free to attend interviews at any centre, regardless of their state or region of origin.
On fairness and inclusivity, he stressed that the selection process strictly adheres to the federal character principle to ensure equitable representation across all states, noting that each state is allocated a fixed number of slots, with oil-producing states receiving additional consideration.
He added that the Federal Character Commission is actively monitoring the exercise to guarantee transparency and credibility.
Addressing concerns over the disparity between the number of applicants and shortlisted candidates, Dr Mustafa explained that only individuals who met the set academic and professional requirements were invited for interviews. These include qualifications such as First Class and Second Class Upper degrees, alongside relevant work experience, with additional consideration given to strong O’Level results.
He further stated that the final number of beneficiaries would depend on available funding, adding that the scholarship primarily focuses on petroleum-related disciplines, while also accommodating supporting fields such as management and petroleum law.
The PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme remains one of Nigeria’s flagship human capacity development initiatives in the oil and gas sector, aimed at producing a highly skilled workforce to drive the nation’s energy industry.
What's your reaction?
