KADUNA, NIGERIA– The Petroleum Innovation Advancement Fund (PTDF) has reached a historical turning point in Nigeria’s energy education with the induction of 43 PhD scholars into the leader accomplice of the College of Petroleum and Energy Researches, Kaduna (CPESK).
The ceremony, hung on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, formally released academic activities at the specialised postgraduate institution, marking the culmination of a vision developed nearly 17 years earlier.
Executive Secretary of the PTDF, Mr. Ahmed Galadima Aminu, explained the launch as a significant turning point targeted at domesticating the Fund’s Abroad Scholarship Plan and bringing world-class energy research directly to Nigerian soil.
The Split-Site Model: A First for Nigeria
A standout function of the new PhD program is its “split-site” implementation, a pilot design that is the very first of its kind in the country.
This framework allows scholars to integrate local scholastic mentorship at CPESK with global direct exposure through partner institutions in the UK.
Partner UK Institutions Include:
To ensure academic rigour, the PTDF has actually engaged 43 academic advisors, primarily high-achieving PTDF alumni, to offer continuous guidance to the scholars throughout their research journey.
The competition for the leader slots was intense. Mr Aminu exposed that when the program was promoted in May 2025, it attracted an incredible 3,702 applications.
Following a multi-stage screening procedure focused on benefit and research study viability, only 43 prospects (around 1.1% of applicants) emerged effective.
Institutional Transition and NUC Recognition
In a significant regulative update, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, verified that CPESK has recently been accredited as a private university.
This transition provides a long-term, lawfully recognised platform for postgraduate training and research study within Nigeria, substantially minimizing the nation’s dependence on total foreign training.
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Prof. Ribadu applauded the PTDF for its sustained investment in human capital, noting that the college will assist maintain worldwide requirements through its multinational partnerships while strengthening local competence.
The PTDF employer advised the inductees to see themselves not just as trainees, but as “ambassadors of a vision.”
He stressed that their research should equate into practical services for Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly addressing the evolving needs of the oil and gas industry in a transitioning global energy landscape.
The successful liftoff of CPESK was credited to the top-level support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, indicating a unified government commitment to constructing a worldwide competitive energy labor force.