Bauchi: Mr. Ahmed Galadima, the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), announced the fund's new initiatives aimed at boosting capacity in Nigeria's oil and gas sector through scholarship programmes. He made this announcement while overseeing the screening and selection process of 400 candidates in the North-East zone for the 2025 Overseas Scholarship Programme.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Galadima stated that PTDF has established eight centers nationwide to identify and select the best talents to study overseas, with the goal of shaping the future of Nigeria's oil and gas sector. The fund employs rigorous screening mechanisms to select candidates based on merit from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Represented by Mannir Abubakar, Manager of Strategic Planning, Research and Innovations at PTDF, Galadima explained that the scholarships are available for Masters and PhD candidates in fields such as engineering, computing, management, environmental, and geo-sciences. These scholarships will allow students to study in the UK, China, and Malaysian universities. Moreover, PTDF has appointed desk officers to assist students with any challenges in their countries of study to promote academic success.
Galadima emphasized that PTDF's implementation of viable programmes, including overseas scholarships, is part of its mandate to develop and improve capacity within the oil and gas sector. "PTDF is providing postgraduate scholarships to develop and improve capacity in the oil and gas sector in line with its mandate. The students upon completion of their studies will return to Nigeria and contribute to the development of the oil and gas industry," he said.
He also encouraged successful candidates to apply themselves diligently to their studies. One of the candidates from Gombe State, Bello Abubakar-Dauda, praised the initiative, describing the selection process as "seamless." Abubakar-Dauda, who applied for a PhD programme in Soil and Water Quality, noted the importance of his study in preventing water contamination in oil-producing communities. "Soil and Water Quality is a preventive measure against water contamination in oil-producing areas. It will prevent the recurrence of water contamination witnessed in the Niger Delta region," he remarked.
The exercise saw participation from approximately 400 candidates hailing from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe.