PTDF defends overseas scholarship scheme, emphasises merit-based selection

Agboola urged prospective applicants and students to maintain confidence in the scheme, describing it as a credible platform that has contributed significantly to developing skilled manpower for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Agboola said, "I want to congratulate the candidates for making it to the shortlisting phase, because we had over 20,000 applicants this year, and for this number to be selected, to be shortlisted, to come for this interview, that means they are a step ahead of some other people. So I want to congratulate them for that. And also, I want them to have confidence in themselves.

"They should go, they should face the interview with confidence. And also, they should believe in themselves and believe in the system. Because many times, people believe that anything that has to do with government lacks credibility, suggesting that the people who will be given positions have already been predetermined.

"I stand here to say that for the PTDF scholarship, there's no predetermination. It is merit-based only. So they should have that faith. And they should not carry a wrong mindset into the stage they are in because sometimes when you have this kind of mindset, it will not even allow the person to put in their best.

"So my message to them is that they should go with confidence, they should have a positive mindset, and they should answer the question that will be put to them, and also try to let the panelists know that they have something to contribute, even to the energy sector."

Explaining how the exercise aligns with the mandate of the PTDF in developing capacity for Nigeria's energy sector, the Head HR described the Fund as the agency of governments for indigenous capacity building for the oil and gas industry.

"One of the ways through which the PTDF achieved this mandate is through its human capital development intervention. And the overseas scholarship scheme is one of the programs under PTDF's human capital development intervention.

"Through this program, the best and most talented Nigerians are supported to study further overseas in top-ranked universities abroad so that they can contribute immensely to the oil and gas industry through innovation and academic excellence. This exercise is one of the major—in fact, it's the flagship program of the PTDF for human capital development."

Speaking on measures for credibility, transparency, and fairness of the scheme, Mrs Agboola said, "And if there is something that the PTDF program has been known for, it is credibility. We have independent assessors who are conducting the interview. The panelists are not PTDF staff. They are independent, they are from academia and the industry. So we have pulled them together for independent assessments. So each of those panelists will interview the candidates independently and also score them independently.

"Apart from that, the Federal Character Commission is also here to ensure fairness, equity, and the integrity of the program. They monitor this every year; they come to observe the exercise so that everything proceeds and the exercise remains transparent. Also, the assessment is recorded in real time on the portal."

Also speaking, the Federal Character Commissioner for Lagos State, Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, who was represented by a Director at the Commission, Mrs Opakunle Oluwakemi, assured that the Commission will harp on equity and fairness in the selection of qualified candidates for the 2026/2027 PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS) for MSc and Ph.D. award

She said the process as laid down is being duly followed, adding that the FCC will not compromise the merits to ensure that those who qualify and take the exams are beneficiaries.

In his assessment, one of the panelists who was also a beneficiary of the PTDF overseas scholarship in 2007, Professor Wasiu Raji from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, described the screening process as rigorous, fair, and provided an exceptional level playing ground for all applicants, adding that candidates who appeared for the interviews have exhibited high level of brilliance and exceptional character

He urged indigent and exceptional students who wish to study abroad to keep tabs on the PTDF website for information on when the form will be released, expressing optimism that students who genuinely need the scholarship will receive it.

In their separate remarks, Temitope Ashade, a first-class graduate of Electronics Engineering from Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, and an indigene of Lagos State, and Mohammed Malik, also a first-class graduate of Computer Engineering from the University of Ilorin, commended the PTDF's efforts, describing the conduct of the exercise as seamless and fair.

It was gathered that a total of 921 candidates applied for Master's degree overseas scholarship programs in the Southwest zone, while 298 candidates applied for PhD programs

In all, a total of 6,211 applicants were shortlisted for the screening exercise out of 38,399 candidates who applied for the 2026/2027 PTDF overseas scholarship program nationwide.