- PTDF commenced nationwide interviews for 5,885 shortlisted scholarship candidates
- Applications increased significantly, making the 2026/2027 selection process more competitive
- Officials stated that merit and federal character principles would determine final selections
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced nationwide interviews for 5,885 shortlisted candidates selected from across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory under its 2026/2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme.
The exercise, which began on Tuesday, is being conducted simultaneously across six centres nationwide, with officials emphasising that merit and the federal character principle will guide the final selection process.
Speaking at the launch of the exercise in Abuja, the Deputy General Manager, Education and Training at PTDF, Bello Mustapha, confirmed that the interviews would run from 7 April to 17 April across the six geopolitical zones.
“We are here to commence the interview process for the 2026–2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme. We just finished briefing the panellists, and the interviews have started on schedule,” he said.
According to him, the exercise is taking place concurrently in Abuja (North-Central), Bauchi (North-East), Kaduna (North-West), Rivers (South-South), Enugu (South-East), and Oyo (South-West).
Despite the increase in shortlisted candidates, findings indicate that the scheme has become more competitive compared to the previous year. In 2025, over 29,000 applications were received for Master’s and PhD programmes, with about 5,000 candidates shortlisted.
In contrast, the 2026 cycle recorded over 38,000 applications—an increase of about 31 per cent—while the number of shortlisted candidates rose by only 17.7 per cent to 5,885. This has reduced the selection rate from approximately 17.2 per cent in 2025 to about 15.5 per cent in 2026.
“Over 38,000 people applied for this programme, but we shortlisted 5,885 candidates for interviews. This shows how competitive the process is,” Mustapha noted.
He added that successful candidates would secure placements in partner institutions in countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia.
Addressing concerns about fairness, Mustapha stressed that the final selection would strictly adhere to the federal character principle to ensure equitable representation across states. He noted that the Federal Character Commission is actively monitoring the process.
“The final selection is based on federal character. Each state is allocated a certain number of slots, although oil-producing states may receive additional allocations,” he explained.
Mustapha also highlighted the rigorous screening criteria used in shortlisting candidates, including academic performance, relevant work experience, and O-Level results.
He, however, declined to disclose the exact number of eventual beneficiaries, stating that it would depend on available funding.
Tinubu names new PTDF boss, extends TCN MD’s tenure
Meanwhile, TheRadar previously reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Shu’aib Aliyu as the new Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
Aliyu takes over from Ahmed Aminu, who stepped down from the role to pursue his 2027 governorship ambition in Adamawa State.
In a related development, the President also renewed the tenure of Sule Abdulaziz as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for a second and final term.