News Investigators/ The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) says it has conducted screening for 243 PhD applicants under its 2026/2027 Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS) in the South-South region.
The Deputy Manager of the fund, Daddy Obonin, disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen at the Centre for Skills Development and Training in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
Mr Obonin, who is also the Team Lead for the second phase of the scheme, said that the interview focused on candidates applying for PhD scholarship programmes in different disciplines.
According to him, the OSS as the flagship programme of PTDF, was designed to build capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector by equipping beneficiaries with relevant skills and knowledge.
He said the current phase involved screening of applicants, who had earlier applied for different fields as advertised by the organisation.
He explained that the selection process required candidates to defend their research proposals in disciplines, such as engineering, geosciences, and management sciences, among others.
He said that the scheme had evolved from fully funded overseas study to a split-site PhD model.
Mr Obonin said the beneficiaries under the model would spend one year of their programmes abroad and two years in Nigeria.
He also said that the transition was aimed at strengthening local institutions, retaining knowledge in the country and reducing capital flight.
“The split-site model will go a long way in building the capacity of local institutions and ensuring that knowledge gained is domesticated for national development,” he said.
On transparency, Obonin emphasised that the selection process was strictly merit-based with no room for interference.
He said that applicants had no direct contact with PTDF staff throughout the process, adding that assessments were conducted digitally and scores collated on secured servers.
“If you merit it, you get it. The process is zero-influenced and purely based on academic qualifications and quality of research proposals,” he said.
He further said that relevant stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, monitored the process to ensure fairness and equitable representation across states.
Mr Obonin encouraged Nigerian students to take advantage of the scholarship to enhance their competencies and contribute to the development of the oil and gas industry.
He assured that PTDF had maintained a strong record of meeting its financial obligations to scholars, including prompt payment of tuition and allowances.
Also speaking, Hafsat Lawal, one of the panelists, called for improved candidate preparations and better communication during the interviews.
Mr Lawal described the overall performance of candidates as average, pointing out that though some applicants stood out, many others needed to improve.
Meanwhile, a candidate, Godwin Alete, highlighted the potential of bioethanol production from municipal waste as a cleaner energy alternative.
Mr Alete commended the transparency of the PTDF selection process.
NAN