RismadarVoice Reporters, April 7, 2026
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced nationwide interviews for 5,885 shortlisted Nigerians selected from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory for its overseas postgraduate scholarship programme.
The exercise, part of the PTDF 2026/2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme, began on Tuesday and is being conducted simultaneously across six centres nationwide, with officials assuring that merit and federal character principles will guide the final selection.
Speaking at the kickoff in Abuja, Deputy General Manager, Education and Training, Bello Mustapha, said the interviews would run from April 7 to April 17 across the six geopolitical zones.
“The exercise is taking place concurrently in six centres: Abuja for North-Central, Bauchi for North-East, Kaduna for North-West, Rivers for South-South, Enugu for South-East, and Oyo for South-West,” he said.
Rising Competition:
The 2026 cycle has proven more competitive than the previous year. PTDF received over 38,000 applications for Master’s and PhD programmes this year, compared to 29,000 in 2025. While the number of shortlisted candidates increased to 5,885, this represents only a 17.7 per cent increase, making the selection rate drop from 17.2% in 2025 to 15.5% in 2026.
“Over 38,000 people applied for this programme, but we shortlisted 5,885 candidates for the interviews. This shows how competitive the process is,” Mustapha said.
Global Opportunities:
The shortlisted candidates will compete for limited slots in PTDF partner institutions in key education destinations, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia. Mustapha noted that the programme prioritizes academic excellence, work experience, and other measurable criteria in selecting candidates for interviews.
Ensuring Fairness and Federal Character:
Addressing concerns about fairness and regional balance, Mustapha emphasised that the final selection will strictly adhere to Nigeria’s federal character principle, monitored by relevant authorities. “Each state is allocated a certain number of slots, with additional slots for some oil-producing states. The Federal Character Commission is involved to ensure transparency,” he said.
Candidates may attend interviews at any centre nationwide, but final selection will reflect equitable state representation, he clarified.
The exact number of scholarship awardees will depend on available funding, PTDF management noted.
The interview exercise is a crucial step in PTDF’s mission to build capacity for Nigerians in the oil and gas sector and contribute to national development through quality postgraduate education abroad.
