PAP sends 34 postgraduate scholars to UK universities

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), on Thursday, dispatched an additional cohort of 34 foreign postgraduate scholarship recipients to various universities in the United Kingdom for the 2025–2026 academic year.

The scholars’ courses of study include data science, fintech analytics, cybersecurity, international energy law and policy, construction project management, public health, agri-food technology, and electrical and petroleum engineering, among others.

More foreign postgraduate scholars will be dispatched to UK universities during the ongoing academic session.

In December 2025, nine students who constituted the inaugural cohort of offshore postgraduate scholarship awardees under the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024–2025 academic year, graduated from their respective programmes at UK universities.

Otuaro has deployed over 9,000 students to universities within and outside Nigeria for various industry-relevant programmes since assuming office in March 2024.

Speaking at the pre-departure orientation programme for the scholars at the PAP headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Otuaro stated that the large-scale deployment was aimed at transforming the Niger Delta into a knowledge-driven region.

He said his leadership had revitalised the programme to provide renewed impetus to service delivery for the people of the region, in line with the mandate of President Bola Tinubu.

Otuaro remarked: “We are sponsoring all of you for postgraduate studies at various universities in the United Kingdom.

“The PAP now has a renewed impetus and orientation owing to the repositioning and extensive reforms we have implemented in accordance with the mandate of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

“The rationale behind this substantial scholarship deployment is to ensure that we develop the requisite human capital to transform the Niger Delta and generate knowledge-based wealth.

“We aim to develop relevant manpower in critical disciplines for our region and, by extension, the country, in view of your expected contributions to national development after successful graduation.”

The PAP boss, who was represented at the event by his Technical Assistant, Mr Edgar Biu, advised the scholars to devote themselves to rigorous study to achieve academic excellence in their respective fields of research.

According to him, the scholars have a duty to justify the Federal Government’s investment in their education and future.

He reiterated his advice that recipients should not take for granted the opportunity to further their academic pursuits in the interest of the Niger Delta and the country at large.

Otuaro expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his “profound interest and support for the Programme”, particularly the approval of an upward review of the programme’s budget from N65 billion to N150 billion.

He also expressed gratitude to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his exemplary guidance and oversight of the programme’s initiatives.

Otuaro, therefore, cautioned the scholars to abide by the laws of their host country and the rules and regulations of their respective institutions, stressing their roles as ambassadors of Nigeria, the Niger Delta, and their communities and families.

A highlight of the orientation programme was the presentation of laptops to the scholars to facilitate their studies.