FG Shortlists Over 8000 Nigerians For Overseas Scholarship | READ DETAILS

This was disclosed to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, by Mr. Bello Mustapha, Manager, Overseas Scholarship Scheme at the Abuja centre.

The programme which commenced since 2000, sponsoring Nigerians through masters degree and PhD, is funded through the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

According to Mustapha, the interview of candidates in Abuja which started on Monday, will last for three weeks, Bauchi centre will be one week due to fewer applicants while Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt centres will hold for two weeks to cover the entire six geopolitical zones.

On the expected number of persons to be selected to begin the 2022/2023 session in September, he said, "I think last year, we took three for MSC and two for PhD, so I don't know this year we would have to look at our budget before I think we come up with the final selection."

He, however, said there is a concession for the oil producing states.

The selected candidates will be trained in the UK where PTDF has a pact with 18 universities; Germany, Malaysia, France and China.

Mustapha said none will be sent to China this session. "Now we have some in China even though we are not using China this year because of the global pandemic issue."

"We have been sponsoring people over the years and some of them have come back to Nigeria and they are contributing to the Nigerian economy. Some of them are in Shell, some of them in NNPC. We have a lot of scholars; they have proved themselves," Mustapha added.