PAP deploys 34 post-graduate scholars to UK varsities

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Presidential Amnesty Programme has deployed an additional 34 foreign post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries to various universities in the United Kingdom for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The scholars’ programmes include data science, fintech analytics, cyber security, international energy law and policy, construction project management, public health, agri-food technology, and electrical and petroleum engineering.

In December 2025, nine students, who were the first set of offshore post-graduate scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year, graduated from their various programmes in UK universities.

The amnesty programme under Dr. Dennis Otuaro has deployed over 9,000 students to universities within and outside Nigeria for different industry-relevant programmes since he assumed office in March 2024.

Speaking at the pre-departure orientation programme for the scholars, Otuaro said the large-scale deployment was aimed at making the Niger Delta a knowledge-driven region.

He said this leadership reinvigorated the programme to give it a new momentum in service delivery to the people of the region based on the mandate of President Bola Tinubu.

“We are sending all of you for post-graduate studies in various universities in the United Kingdom.

“The PAP now has a new momentum and direction because of the repositioning and broad reforms that we carried out in line with the mandate of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The objective behind the huge scholarships deployment is to ensure that we develop the needed human capital to transform the Niger Delta and generate knowledge-wealth.

“We want to develop relevant manpower in critical disciplines for our region and by extension, the country, because you are expected to contribute your quota to national development after successful graduation.”

The PAP Administrator, who was represented at the event by his Technical Assistant, Mr Edgar Biu, advised the scholars to study hard to achieve academic excellence in their various fields of research.