By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Kaduna — As part of efforts to build sustainable human capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced the screening of 560 candidates from the Northwest zone under its Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS). The exercise is taking place at the ICT Centre of Kaduna State University (KASU).

The scholarship programme, aimed at postgraduate training in relevant oil and gas disciplines, includes 350 Master’s degree applicants and a number of PhD candidates who were shortlisted based on rigorous academic and professional benchmarks.

Speaking to journalists at the screening venue, PTDF’s Manager of Training, Mr. Attahiru Ahmed, said the programme reflects the Fund’s core mandate to address the sector’s manpower needs through strategic investment in education and research.

“We are here to interview applicants of the PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme. This week is for Master’s degree candidates — 350 in total — scheduled in morning and afternoon batches. PTDF is charged with the responsibility of developing capacity for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector,” Ahmed said.

He added that the screening exercise is being conducted simultaneously across the country’s six geopolitical zones, allowing applicants to select the centre nearest to them.

“Candidates are shortlisted based on O-level results, class of degree, and the relevance of their proposed field of study to the oil and gas sector. Final selection will consider interview rankings and the Federal Character principle for state representation,” he explained.

Also present at the screening was Dalhatu Yusuf Ibrahim, Director of the Katsina State office of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), who emphasized the credibility of the process.

“This selection process is equitable and has consistently adhered to transparency. The PTDF maintains its selection standards, and our role here is to monitor compliance and ensure fairness across all states,” Ibrahim said.

Several candidates also spoke on their aspirations and motivations.

Habiba Ali, an economist and data analyst from Bayero University, Kano, who is applying for a Master’s in Computational Finance, expressed optimism:

“As someone with skills in data science, I believe financial technology is key to revitalizing Nigeria’s economy. I learned about PTDF through social media and peers, and I’m thankful for this opportunity.”

Captain Chukwuebuka Nwali of the Nigerian Army Education Corps, applying for a master’s in Nuclear Physics, shared his desire to tackle technical inefficiencies in the oil and gas sector.

“Corrosion in oil facilities costs Nigeria billions. Nuclear physics offers solutions to such problems and has applications in health, energy, and security. I want to contribute meaningful innovations.”

Similarly, Ibrahim Jamilu, a Geology graduate from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, who hopes to study Environmental Geology, emphasized environmental concerns.

“Oil operations often lead to serious environmental degradation. I want to research human impacts on geological environments and develop solutions for pollution mitigation.”

The PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme remains one of Nigeria’s flagship initiatives for producing globally competitive professionals in the energy sector. By investing in advanced training and capacity development, the scheme continues to position young Nigerians to tackle industry challenges and contribute meaningfully to national development.