By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Kaduna — The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced the second phase of interviews for PhD candidates under its Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS), placing strong emphasis on merit and sector relevance.

Speaking during the exercise in Kaduna on Monday, Head of Information Technology at PTDF, Abdulkadir Hamidu Alkali, said the interview stage followed a rigorous screening process involving verification of credentials and merit-based shortlisting.

According to him, the scholarship scheme, which covers both MSc and PhD programmes, attracts applications nationwide each year, with shortlisted candidates invited to designated centres for interviews.

“We have six venues nationwide—Kaduna, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu and Abuja—while candidates unable to attend physically are interviewed virtually,” he said.

Alkali explained that the exercise is structured in phases, with MSc candidates interviewed in the first week and PhD applicants in the second week.

He noted that the initiative aligns with PTDF’s mandate to build critical manpower for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

“For years, PTDF has been sending scholars abroad to acquire knowledge and return to contribute to national development. Recently, we introduced transnational education, allowing candidates to study partly in Nigeria and partly in the United Kingdom,” he added.

He said the approach is strengthening collaboration between Nigerian academics and international institutions, while ensuring research outputs address local challenges.

A representative of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dalhatu Yusuf Ibrahim, who monitored the process, described it as credible and transparent.

“They have taken us through the entire process—from application to shortlisting and interviews. The system ensures fairness and equitable distribution among the federating units,” he said.

Also speaking, Alowolodu Olufunsho, an associate professor of cybersecurity at the Federal University of Technology Akure, expressed confidence in the integrity of the selection process, noting that while performance varied, some candidates demonstrated strong mastery of their fields.

“The process is credible, and if it remains strictly merit-based, it will produce the right candidates. We are looking for applicants who can contribute to knowledge and provide practical solutions to Nigeria’s problems, particularly in the oil and gas sector,” she said.

Some candidates also shared their experiences, describing the panels as engaging and supportive.

Muhammad Harun Najumari, a lecturer at the Federal University of Education Zaria, said his research focuses on applying hybrid machine learning to predict faults in safety-critical equipment in the oil and gas sector.

“The panelists were excellent—they asked relevant questions and guided me where necessary,” he said.

Another candidate, Habiba Ummi Muhammed, whose research explores the use of biosurfactants from microorganisms to address oil spill challenges in Nigeria’s marine environment, described the process as encouraging.

“I would rate the panel 8 out of 10. They were welcoming, and the process was motivating,” she said.