PTDF Overseas PG Scholarship Interview Dates 2020/2021 [SUSPENDED]

2020 PTDF Scholarship Selection Interview Schedule – Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Overseas MSc and PhD Scholarships Interview Dates, Time, Venue and Centers Nationwide For Shortlisted Nigerian Applicants 2020/2021 Academic Session [SUSPENSION NOTICE].

LATEST UPDATE: PTDF SUSPENDS ONGOING SCHOLARSHIP INTERVIEW
Following concerns over the spread of corona virus in Nigeria, the Management of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has suspended the ongoing selection interviews for the award of 2020/2021 Overseas Scholarship.

The suspension affects the conduct of the second week of the interview scheduled to review shortlisted PhD applicants in Four (4) Centers of Abuja, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and lbadan.

The interview exercise which commenced simultaneously in the six geopolitical zones on Monday 16th March, 2020 was scheduled to last until the 27th of March, 2020.

The suspension is a precautionary measure to limit the risk of exposure to the virus by shortlisted candidates, interview panel and staff of the Fund.

A new date for the continuation of the exercise will be announced in due course and all affected candidates will be duly notified of further developments regarding the exercise.

Six thousand and five (6005) candidates were shortlisted to participate in the exercise made up of 3969 Msc and 2036 PhD applicants.

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Following the closure of the application portal The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced the selection interview exercise for shortlisted candidates for 2020/2021 academic session.

At the close of the application period, the Fund received a total of Twenty Five Thousand (25,000) applications were received.

The physical oral Interview Exercise for shortlisted candidates in the two categories (MSc/PhD) is scheduled to hold from 16th to 27th of March 2020 in six designated centres of the six geo-political zones as detailed below:

S/NO	GEO-POLITICAL ZONE	CENTRE
1.	South-South	University of Port-Harcourt, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State
2.	South-West	University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State
3.	North-Central	PTDF Tower, Opposite Yar’adua Centre, CBD, Abuja
4.	South-East	University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nsukka, Enugu State
5.	North-East	Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State
6.	North-West	Kaduna State University

NB: Candidates aspiring for the MSc scholarship are expected to defend their statement of purpose, while those for PhD scholarship defend their research proposals, during the interview sessions holding from the 16th to 27th of March 2020.

The establishment of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund by the Federal Government was a response to the failure of international oil companies to transfer knowledge, skills and technology to Nigerians after years of oil and gas exploration in Nigeria.

The increasing capital flight coupled with little linkage between the economy and the oil and gas industry made it more imperative for the Federal Government to step in and take effective control of capacity building in the petroleum sector.

The goal was to produce well-trained Nigerians that would take over the roles that were being played by expatriates in the oil and gas industry, thus ensuring the effective deployment of Nigerian professionals in the management and operational segments of the industry.

The establishment of PTDF in 1973, which later became fully functional in 2000 was therefore the first major step by the Federal Government at institutionalizing the policy of local manpower development for the oil and gas industry.

The PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme has over the years succeeded in producing well trained, competent and skilled professional manpower for the various segments of the oil and gas industry.The areas of training include Engineering, Geology, Environmental Studies, Sciences, Management, Law, Accounting, Renewable Energy, Information Technology and offshore related courses.
Head,Press and External Relations, PTDF