The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has awarded postgraduate scholarships to 600 successful candidates under its 2025/2026 Local Postgraduate Scholarship Programme, aimed at boosting human capital development in the Niger Delta region.
At the award ceremony held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, presented the award letters to the beneficiaries, describing education as the most effective tool for transforming the region’s fortunes.
Ogbuku, who was joined by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, Ifedayo Abegunde, and Bayelsa State Representative on the NDDC Board, Senator Dimaro Denyanbofa, urged the scholars to stay focused and become worthy ambassadors of the region.
He commended previous beneficiaries of the programme for setting high academic standards, noting that 32 NDDC scholars graduated with distinction from Coventry University earlier this year.
He advised the new scholars to maintain the legacy of excellence, avoid distractions, and make the Niger Delta proud.
The NDDC Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. George Uzowanne, revealed that the commission received 46,240 applications, out of which only 600 candidates were selected through a transparent electronic examination process.
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He said the competition was intense and fair, adding that the process demonstrated the commission’s commitment to merit-based selection.
Uzowanne explained that the local postgraduate scheme was designed to build capacity in key fields such as engineering, environmental sciences, technology, humanities, and management sciences, equipping participants to address the region’s development challenges.
The Director of Education, Dr. Angela Chukwudifu, stated that the new local scholarship model was introduced to keep scholars connected to the realities of the Niger Delta while fostering a deeper sense of ownership and responsibility.
She noted that by studying locally, the scholars would remain grounded in the region’s needs and be better positioned to contribute to its progress.