The Federal Government has opened applications for the 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Overseas Scholarship Scheme, offering Nigerian postgraduate students the opportunity to study in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Malaysia.
The development was confirmed on Monday in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun.
“FG has announced the commencement of applications for 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Scholarships overseas,” the post stated.
According to information published on the PTDF scholarship portal, the scheme is open to MSc and PhD candidates in disciplines relevant to the oil and gas sector. Successful applicants will enjoy comprehensive funding, including tuition fees, return air tickets, accommodation and living allowances, health insurance, as well as bench fees where applicable.
The agency noted that the scholarship is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s oil and gas industry by building indigenous capacity through access to world-class education and research facilities.
“The 2026 Overseas MSc and PhD Scholarships provide access to global expertise and advanced training while developing local capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector,” PTDF said.
For PhD candidates studying in the United Kingdom, the programme will operate a split-site arrangement. This allows scholars to conduct research between the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK), and selected partner universities in the UK, including Robert Gordon University, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Portsmouth.
PTDF stressed that the selection process is highly competitive, noting that only candidates with outstanding academic merit and strong relevance to the oil and gas industry will be shortlisted. Assessment will be based on academic qualifications, research proposals, professional memberships and alignment with sector needs.
Applicants for the MSc programme are required to possess a minimum of Second Class Lower (2:2) or Second Class Upper (2:1) degree, have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, be computer literate, and hold at least five O’Level credits including English Language and Mathematics. PhD applicants must also submit a detailed research proposal of no more than five pages outlining objectives, methodology and data collection strategies.
The agency further warned that all applicants must have a verified National Identity Number (NIN) before applying, adding that multiple submissions or falsified documents will lead to automatic disqualification.
Interested candidates are to apply online via scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng for approved programmes at PTDF partner institutions. Applications close on February 27.
