PTDF, don task Nigerians on overseas scholarship to support

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and a lecturer at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State, Dr. Ahmed Adamu, yesterday, urged Nigerians studying abroad to return home after their study to improve the economy and impart their knowledge.

They made the call while conducting interviews for applicants of PTDF scholarship scheme 2023 in South-West Zone, he

ld at the Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State.

The scholarship, organised by PTDF, is to sponsor Nigerians to pursue Ph.D. and Master degrees in oil and gas-related fields abroad.
The PTDF Team Lead, Tajudeen Ibiyeye, who spoke with journalists during the interview, said that PTDF would interview over 5,000 applicants for the overseas scholarship scheme.

The programme, which started on Monday, will end tomorrow.

Ibiyeye, who urged the beneficiaries of the scheme to come back after the training and add value to the economy, said: “We are here to select scholars for PTDF overseas scholarships for Masters and Ph.D. degrees in the oil and gas-related fields. The purpose is for them to become experts and build their capacity in the oil and gas sector.

“I will urge them to be good ambassadors of the country. They are carrying the flag of Nigeria and they should represent the country well. They should come back home after the training to impart that knowledge and contribute to the development of the country. There is no place like home.”

Also, Adamu, who is one of the panellists for the selection and of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), said the scholars must be noble enough to come back to add to the economy after their training.

The don, who teaches Security Privacy and Data Protection, said: “Be good ambassadors and noble enough to come and invest your knowledge to add value to the country’.

‘’They are young people who are ready to solve problems within the oil and gas industry.

“They will be trained in artificial intelligence, research in data science, computing and others. They want to see how these would enable them to provide solutions in the oil and gas industry. It is a journey of learning.

“It is an opportunity and privilege given to them as an individual. If they are able to come back and invest their knowledge in the country, that will be most ideal. They have increased in knowledge and capacity. They should find means of coming back and investing in this country. We do not have any country except Nigeria.”