The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced nationwide interviews for 5,885 shortlisted candidates under its 2026/2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme, marking a key stage in one of Nigeria’s most competitive education programmes.
The candidates, drawn from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, were selected from a pool of over 38,000 applicants, highlighting the growing demand for advanced training in the oil and gas sector. The interviews, which began on April 7, are scheduled to run until April 17 across six centres nationwide.
Speaking at the Abuja centre, PTDF’s Deputy General Manager for Education and Training, Bello Mustapha, said the exercise is being conducted simultaneously across the six geopolitical zones. The centres include Abuja for the North-Central, Bauchi for the North-East, Kaduna for the North-West, Rivers for the South-South, Enugu for the South-East, and Oyo for the South-West.
Mustapha emphasised that the selection process would be guided strictly by merit, while also reflecting federal character principles to ensure fairness and national representation. He noted that the interviews are designed to identify the most qualified candidates for postgraduate studies abroad.
The scheme has become increasingly competitive compared to previous years. In 2025, PTDF received about 29,000 applications and shortlisted 5,000 candidates. However, in 2026, applications surged by approximately 31 per cent to over 38,000, while the number of shortlisted candidates rose by a smaller margin of 17.7 per cent to 5,885.
This imbalance has reduced the overall selection rate, tightening opportunities for applicants. While roughly 17.2 per cent of applicants were shortlisted in 2025, the figure declined to about 15.5 per cent in 2026, reflecting heightened competition.
According to PTDF, successful candidates from the interview stage will compete for limited scholarship slots in partner institutions across key global destinations, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia.
The programme remains a critical pathway for developing skilled manpower in Nigeria’s energy sector, equipping scholars with expertise needed to drive innovation and growth in the industry.
