From Sola Ojo, Abuja
As part of efforts to build critical manpower for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) on Monday commenced the second phase of its Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS) interviews for PhD candidates in Kaduna.
In an interview with newsmen, the Head of Information Technology at PTDF, Prof. Abdulkadir Hamidu Alkali, who is supervising the Kaduna centre, said the exercise followed a rigorous screening process that included verification of applicants’ credentials and shortlisting based on merit.
According to him, the scheme, which covers both MSc and PhD programmes, attracts applicants annually from across the country, with successful candidates invited for interviews at designated centres.
“We have six venues nationwide—Kaduna, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu and Abuja—while candidates who are unable to attend physically are interviewed virtually,” Alkali said.
He explained that the interviews are conducted in phases, with MSc candidates attended to in the first week and PhD applicants in the second week.
Alkali noted that the scholarship aligns with PTDF’s mandate of developing skilled manpower for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
“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 said.
He added that the initiative is fostering collaboration between Nigerian academics and their international counterparts, while also ensuring that research outputs are tailored towards solving local challenges.
A representative of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dalhatu Yusuf Ibrahim, who monitored the exercise, described the process 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.
Panellists also expressed confidence in the integrity of the selection process.
Dr Alowolodu Olufunsho, an associate professor of cybersecurity from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, said while some candidates demonstrated strong mastery of their fields, overall performance varied.
“The process is credible, and if it continues to be 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 who participated in the interviews also shared their experiences.
Muhammad Harun Najumari, a lecturer at the Federal University of Education, Zaria, described the panel as engaging and supportive.
“My research focuses on using hybrid machine learning to predict faults in safety-critical equipment in the oil and gas sector.
“The panellists were excellent—they asked relevant questions and guided me where necessary,” he said.
Another candidate, Habiba Ummi Muhammed, said her research explores the use of biosurfactants from microorganisms to address oil spill challenges in Nigeria’s marine environment.
“I would rate the panel 8 out of 10. They were welcoming, and the process was encouraging,” she said.
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