No More $30,000: NDDC Raises Students Allowance for Nigerians on Foreign Scholarship Programme

• The Niger Delta Development Commission said its allowance for students scholarship is now increased to $40,000
• The commission said that over 1,050 candidates are currently being screened for its foreign post-graduate scholarship
• It also noted that equity, fairness, and transparency were the guiding principles strictly followed for the interview

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over three years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

The allowance paid to Nigerian students for foreign scholarship is now increased from $30,000 to $40,000, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said.

Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, NDDC Managing Director, made this known in Port Harcourt at the venue of the interview for applicants.

200 scholars to be selected

According to the commission in a Punch report, over 1,050 candidates are being interviewed for its foreign post-graduate scholarship programme. The 11-day exercise follows a computer-based test (CBT) written by 5,000 applicants earlier this month.

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Explaining why the number of beneficiaries was not expanded this year, Ogbuku noted that funding had been a challenge.

He said:

We increased the allowance for the studies from $30,000.00 to $40,000.00 and this affected our finances, making it necessary to create a balance.

However, from next year, we hope to reduce the number of foreign scholarships because of the high foreign exchange rate.

However, we will introduce scholarships for undergraduate students in Nigerian universities. This will enable us to accommodate more persons in the scholarship programme.

He also noted that equity, fairness, and transparency were the guiding principles for the interview.

Pius Ughakpoteni, the NDCC Director of Corporate Affairs, said the process is well monitored to ensure that everything goes well.

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He said:

“We believe that the best will be selected amongst the successful candidates. We are sending the scholars out to represent our country. They are going to be our worthy ambassadors. The interview panel was randomly selected to ensure fairness because the 200 scholars to be selected will be our ambassadors.”

Meanwhile, in a recent report, Legit.ng reported that Researcher and Scholarships Consultant Dr. Sylvie Watikum has given hope to Nigerians who want to study abroad and on scholarship.

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Legit.ng reported that A citizens-led anti-sabotage organisation under the aegis of The Natives has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the reconstitution of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board.

The Natives also congratulated the president on his 80th birthday anniversary, adding that Buhari has stabilised democracy in Nigeria and throughout Africa, as attested to by his United States of America counterpart, Joe Biden.

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Source: Legit.ng