By Hajara Abdullahi
The Federal Government has announced the opening of the application portal for the 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Overseas Scholarship Scheme, offering opportunities for Nigerian youths to pursue postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia.
The announcement was made on Monday in a post on X by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun.
According to a statement released on the PTDF Scholarship Board website, the scheme invites qualified candidates to apply for Master’s (MSc) and Doctorate (PhD) programmes in disciplines relevant to the oil and gas sector. The scholarship covers tuition, return flight tickets, accommodation, living allowances, health insurance, and bench fees where applicable.
“The 2026 Overseas MSc and PhD Scholarships provide access to world-class training, research facilities, and global expertise while developing indigenous capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector,” the statement read.
The agency further noted that the selection process will be highly competitive, stressing that “only candidates who demonstrate outstanding merit and suitability will be considered.”
For MSc applicants, eligibility requirements include a minimum of Second Class Lower (2.2) in the first degree, completion of the NYSC programme, computer literacy, and five O’Level credits including English Language and Mathematics.
PhD applicants are required to submit a research proposal of up to five pages outlining objectives, methodology, and data collection approaches.
The Fund also warned that applicants must verify their National Identity Number (NIN) before applying, adding that multiple applications or submission of falsified documents would result in automatic disqualification.
Applications will be assessed based on academic performance, quality of research proposals, membership in professional bodies, and the relevance of previous studies to the oil and gas sector.
Interested candidates are to apply online via scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng for approved programmes at PTDF partner institutions. The portal will remain open until February 27, 2026.