ABUJA, FCT– The Petroleum Technology Advancement Fund (PTDF) has actually officially started the interview and screening process for 5,885 shortlisted prospects competing for the 2026/2027 Abroad Scholarship Plan (OSS).
The workout, which began on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, aims to select the next friend of scholars for Master’s (MSc) and Doctoral (Ph.D.) studies in specialised petroleum and energy-related fields.
Speaking at the Abuja centre, the Deputy General Manager of Education and Training, Dr Bello Mustapha, revealed that the shortlist was chosen from an enormous swimming pool of over 38,000 applicants through an extensive and transparent selection process.
Rigorous Merit-Based Requirements
Dr Mustapha stressed that the scholarship stays one of Nigeria’s a lot of competitive scholastic awards. To guarantee that only the most capable hands are sent to top-tier global universities, the Fund applied a multi-layered examination system.
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Choice Requirements Include:
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Academic Excellence: Prospects need to have a minimum of a Second Class Upper (2:1) degree.
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Foundational Strength: Evaluation of secondary school results (O’Level) to ensure long-lasting scholastic consistency.
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Expert Relevance: Assessment of work experience and the alignment of the proposed core curriculum with Nigeria’s oil and gas requirements.
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Course Scope: Concentrate on core petroleum engineering, geosciences, environmental sciences, and supporting fields like petroleum law and management.
Decentralised Screening Across Six Zones
In a bid to guarantee accessibility and ease of logistics for candidates, the PTDF is carrying out the interviews concurrently throughout the six geopolitical zones.
Notably, the Fund has actually permitted a flexible choice of centre policy, making it possible for candidates to attend the interview at the location most convenient for them, despite their state of origin.
Interview Centres by Zone:
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North-Central: Abuja (FCT)
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North-East: Bauchi (Bauchi State)
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North-West: Kaduna (Kaduna State)
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South-South: Port Harcourt (Rivers State)
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South-East: Enugu (Enugu State)
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South-West: Ibadan (Oyo State)
Stabilizing Benefit with Federal Character
While the initial shortlisting is strictly merit-driven, Dr Mustapha noted that the final selection will abide by the Federal Character Principle. This ensures fair representation across all 36 states and the FCT, cultivating national unity in human capital development.
The total variety of final awardees will be determined by the PTDF’s financial arrangements for the 2026/2027 and subsequent management approval.
Prospects at the numerous centres revealed optimism about the professionalism of the process. Maria Ochanya, a Biochemistry graduate eyeing an MSc in Industrial Biotechnology, noted that the plan offers a special structure for scholars to obtain worldwide expertise and return to return to society.
Similarly, Alhaji Ikoh, an Architecture graduate transitioning into Environmental Science, praised the openness of the screening.
As the interviews continue through the week, the PTDF restates its dedication to bridging the technical skills gap in the Nigerian oil and gas industry by exposing indigenous scholars to global finest practices in energy transition and petroleum innovation.