PTDF Shortlists 8,000 Interviewees for the 2022/2023 Overseas Scholarship Scheme.

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, says more than 8,000 candidates have been shortlisted for interview for its Overseas Scholarship Scheme, OSS, for Masters and PhD awards.

Mr. Bello Mustapha, Head, Overseas Scholarship Scheme Division, PTDF made this known on Monday 23 May 2022 in Abuja at the opening of the selection interview for shortlisted candidates for the 2022/2023 academic session.

PTDF under its strategic direction provides Scholarships to Masters and PhD degree applicants in partnership with Universities in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China and Malaysia.

PTDF sponsors students/awardees in all major disciplines related to oil and gas and energy industries, including engineering, geosciences, environmental studies, computing and management.

Mr. Mustapha said the selection interview was a continuation process which began in Dec. 20, 2021, through publications in some national newspapers inviting qualified Nigerians nationwide to apply.

He added that under the 2022/2023 academic session, it advertised the Scholarship and called for application and more than 26,000 people applied, while over 8,000 were selected for interview.

He noted the PTDF OSS was an annual programme which began in 2,000, aimed at providing Nigerian students with the intellectual foundation and skills needed to participate actively in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

In his words: “We conduct the interviews in the six geopolitical zones of the country but presently we are doing in five geo- geopolitical zones of the country this year because of the issues of insecurity in the southeast.

“So, we are using Ibadan, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kaduna while South East candidates are asked to choose any convenient center from other zones.

“It will run for three weeks in Abuja, then two weeks in the other centres apart from Bauchi. Bauchi will run for one week because we do not have many candidates in Bauchi centre,’’ he said.

He said the final selection would depend on its budgetary allocation. Mr. Mustapha also stressed that, the Scholarship is running based on the availability of funds which determines the final selection.

Mr. Mustapha, described the interview as one of the criteria for the Scholarship and the best performing candidates would be chosen as concession would be given to candidates from oil producing states.

He also said the fund had sponsored many Nigerians over the years and some of them had returned to the country and were contributing to the economy.

“Some of them are working in Shell, NNPC Ltd., we have a lot of scholars and panelists that have proven themselves, some are even in the Universities and academic environment contributing optimally from what they have studied abroad.

“We have 18 Universities that we have strategic partnerships with in UK, and we have in Germany, Malaysia, France and China.

“We are not using China this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic issues.

“They are beginning with the September session.”

The overseas scholarship scheme is one of the flagship programme of the organisation.