The Federal Government has announced the start of applications for the 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Overseas Scholarship Scheme.
The programme provides Nigerian postgraduate students with the opportunity to pursue studies in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Malaysia.
According to details published on the PTDF website, the scholarship is available to MSc and PhD applicants in fields related to the oil and gas industry.
Successful candidates will enjoy comprehensive funding, covering tuition fees, return air travel, accommodation and living expenses, health insurance, as well as bench fees where applicable.
In a statement, PTDF said the 2026 Overseas MSc and PhD Scholarships are designed to give scholars access to world-class education, advanced research facilities and international expertise, while strengthening local capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
For PhD candidates in the United Kingdom, the programme will be run on a split-site basis. This arrangement allows scholars to conduct research at both 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.
The agency emphasised that the scholarship is highly competitive and that final selections will be made strictly on merit.
According to PTDF, only applicants who demonstrate exceptional academic excellence and suitability will be considered. The selection process will assess candidates’ academic performance, research proposals, professional affiliations and the relevance of their proposed studies to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Eligibility for the MSc programme requires a minimum of Second Class Lower (2.2) or Second Class Upper (2.1) degree, completion of the NYSC programme, basic computer skills, and at least five O’Level credits including English Language and Mathematics. PhD applicants must also submit a research proposal not exceeding five pages, outlining their objectives, methodology and data collection plans.
PTDF also warned that all applicants must have a verified National Identity Number (NIN) before applying, and that multiple applications or the submission of false documents will lead to automatic disqualification.
Applications are to be submitted online via scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng for approved programmes at PTDF partner institutions.
The deadline for applications is February 27.