I paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Professor Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, where we had a productive discussion on strategic investments in human capital, skills development and research, and how it can further strengthen Nigeria’s workforce and create greater opportunities for our young people, especially in the North Central region.
For over two decades, PTDF has played an important role in bridging the human capacity gap in the petroleum industry through its merit-based and inclusive scholarship programmes and research interventions, supporting undergraduate students within Nigeria and postgraduate studies, including Master’s and Ph.D. programmes abroad.
With thousands of students supported over the years, PTDF’s intervention goes beyond providing scholarships. The Fund also tracks the progress of beneficiaries to ensure that investments in education translate into meaningful human capital development and contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
We also discussed opportunities for PTDF to further contribute to addressing unemployment and the skills gap by expanding practical skills-development programmes for young and unemployed Nigerians, equipping beneficiaries with relevant industry-ready skills and, where appropriate, providing start-up kits to support their transition from training to sustainable livelihoods.
As the PTDF prepares to commence applications for this year’s annual scholarship scheme, the Executive Secretary expressed appreciation for the support of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which has continued to strengthen the Agency’s capacity to fulfil its mandate and advance innovative approaches to human capital development