Why we’re sending thousands for PG foreign scholarship, by PDTF

.Says over 16,000 applied

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), yesterday, said it was planning to send thousands of Nigerians abroad on scholarship for postgraduate studies to increase their capacity and bridge the skills gap in the country.

The Team Lead of Ibadan Zone of the overseas scholarship scheme, Tajudeen Ibiyeye, who spoke with journalists during the shortlisting of candidates, said that the move was to reduce expatriates’ dominance of the Nigerian economy.

Ibiyeye said: “This interview aims to choose the best candidate that will be awarded an overseas scholarship for this year’s programme. Over 16,000 applied nationwide. 5,734 were shortlisted. For the South-West, 953 were shortlisted. It is for them to study for masters’ and doctorate degrees.”

“The mandate of the PTDF is to build relevant capacity for the oil and gas sector. Before year 2000, which PTDF was set up, there is a dominant of foreign expatriates in the industry and what the PTDF is trying to solve is to bridge the gap and fill those skills required. So, we have been building it year-in, year-out.”

Also speaking, Abdullahi Nasiru, who is a candidate, said the scholarship would enable him to increase his capacity.