6,000 aspiring scholars sit for NDDC’s foreign postgraduate scholarship test

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has concluded a computer-based test (CBT) for its 2025 Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship programme, with approximately 6,000 applicants from the nine Niger Delta states participating.

Chief Boma Iyaye, Executive Director of Finance and Administration at the NDDC, made this known in a statement on Saturday.

According to Iyaye, the scholarship programme, which started in 2010, has produced top-level professionals with technical knowledge and expertise to compete in various sectors.

“The scholarship programme, which began in 2010, has produced top-level professionals with technical knowledge, capacity, and expertise to compete across various sectors,” he said.

Iyaye reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to human capital development, creating opportunities for people in the Niger Delta to excel.

He attributed the relatively low number of applicants who sat for the examination to the inability of some candidates to submit required documentation and information.

“As a result, only 6,000 applicants from across the nine Niger Delta states participated in the CBT examination, which was conducted over a period of three days.

”Although the financial burden of the foreign scholarship programme is huge, the NDDC remains committed to sustaining it,” he assured.

The NDDC is also considering expanding the scholarship initiative to include undergraduate studies at Nigerian universities.

 Iyaye noted that introducing a local scholarship component would allow more indigenous students from the region to benefit from the programme.

Also, Dr George Uzonwanne, Director of Education, Health, and Social Services at the NDDC, emphasised that the development of any nation is measured by the quality of its education.

“The programme equips our young people with the relevant training and skills needed for effective participation in the Federal Government local content initiatives.

”It also enables them to specialise in their chosen fields of study, thereby enhancing their global competitiveness,” Uzonwanne stated.

The scholarship programme covers various disciplines, including sciences, engineering, agricultural science, environmental science, geosciences, information technology, management sciences, law, and architecture.

Uzonwanne expressed confidence in the transparency of the selection process and assured that the scheme would continue.

The NDDC’s commitment to human capital development and education is evident in its scholarship programme, which has produced highly skilled professionals in various fields.

The commission’s efforts to expand the programme to include undergraduate studies at Nigerian universities will likely have a positive impact on the region’s development.