In Nigeria and other parts of the world, scholarship opportunities, particularly scholarships for international students, are what many seek to make their academic pursuit a success. Scholarshipsbox.com has good news for Nigerian graduates who are indigenes of Niger-Delta region, as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) announced its Foreign Post Graduate Programme for the 2024/2025 session.

According to the information shared by the NDDC, the foreign post graduate scholarship programme is specially initiated for the indigenes of Niger-Delta to enhance the region’s human resource development.

Moreover, the scholarship programme is aimed at strengthening young people in the region with necessary training and skills required to make them participate fully in the local content programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

In the same vein, the scholarship opportunities NDDC is offering the applicants will enable the beneficiaries to acquire specialization in their various fields of study and subsequently prepare them adequately to compete with their contemporaries anywhere in the world.

While NDDC assured that it will make sure that there is a fair spread of courses among would-be beneficiaries within each state of the region, the Commission hinted that preference will be given to candidates from Oil Producing host, community or local government area as long as required documents, certificates and cutoff marks are met.

Importantly, applicants should note that NDDC doesn’t give room for deferment, change of Institution and courses. Who can apply for the post graduate scholarship Applicants must be indigenes of Niger-Delta region. Applicants must have graduated from recognized universities with Bachelor’s Degrees in any of the fields of study listed below: –

• Engineering
• Agricultural Science
• ⁠Geosciences –
• ⁠Information Technology
• ⁠Environmental Science
• ⁠Medical Sciences and Law.

Also, to qualify for the scholarship opportunity, applicants must have graduated with a First Class or Second Class Upper Division. Interested persons with Second Class Lower Division are also qualified to apply for the programme.

How to apply for the scholarship programme

To start with, all interested and qualified persons must undergo an initial application procedure which is the completion and submission of the scholarship application online. This must be done through the official website of the Niger-Delta Development Commission.

Also read: Australian University offers Scholarship opportunities to International Students

First Shortlisting

Consequent upon submission of all applications, there will be a provisional shortlist of candidates, and it will be done based on the criteria listed below:

• WASSCE/NECO results performance
• Validity of the Local Government Identification document
• ⁠First Degree result/grade classification

Computer-Based Test

After the preliminary shortlisting, all shortlisted candidates will be required to partake in a Computer-Based Test. The exercise will be conducted by the NDDC consultants in Rivers State, Nigeria. Before any of the applicants can proceed to the next stage of the application procedure, he/she must have successfully passed the computer-based test with a minimum score of 70%.

Second Shortlisting

After the conduct of the computer-based test and grading of the candidates, applicants who meet up with the requirement of having a minimum score of 70% will further be shortlisted by the Commission.

Last Verification

Shortlisted candidates will be required to undergo a verification exercise which will be carried out through the Local Government Areas and Community Development Committee (CDC) in the Niger-Delta region.

Required documents for the scholarship opportunity

To apply for the foreign post graduate scholarship programme, applicants must attach the following documents while applying online:

• Recent passport photograph
• ⁠Local Government identification letter
• ⁠Admission letter from any recognized foreign university for post graduate study
• ⁠First Degree certificate from a recognized university
• ⁠National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate or exemption letter

To apply for the scholarships online, interested person should visit the official website of NDDC

Upon successful completion and submission of application form, a registration number will automatically be generated and assigned to the applicant, and it is expected that at this point, for reference purpose, that all applicants print out the online application acknowledged page.

Application for the scholarship programme commenced August 15, 2024 and will close May 13, 2024.

For further detailed information about the scholarship opportunity, interested persons can contact:

Director, Education, Health and Social Services, Niger Delta Development Commission on: Mobile: +234(0)9137806550, +234(0)9049409391E-mail: foreign.scholarship@nddc.go.ng

Niger-Delta region is made up of 9 states namely Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

The (NDDC), an agency of the federal government of Nigeria, was established in the year 2000 and it is aimed at developing the oil-rich region, training and educating its youths on the need to curb hostilities and militancy, while promoting diversification and productivity