PAP Deploys 150 Niger Delta Scholars to UK Universities, Otuaro Seeks Support for Tinubu in 2027
ISSN: 2354-4481
By William Ndubuisi
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has deployed 150 Niger Delta youths for postgraduate studies at universities in the United Kingdom, as part of efforts to strengthen human capital development and expand access to international education for beneficiaries of the programme.
The Administrator of PAP, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a pre-departure orientation organised for the latest batch of scholarship beneficiaries.
Otuaro also called on people of the Niger Delta to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections, citing the Federal Government’s investment in education and other development initiatives in the region.
He said the scholarship programme was one of the deliberate measures being implemented under the administration to address human capital gaps, promote peace and equip young people with skills needed for community and national development.
“We are again sending some of the most brilliant and vibrant youths of the Niger Delta for post-graduate studies in select disciplines in the UK,” Otuaro said.
He added that the programme was possible because of what he described as Tinubu’s commitment to the peace, security and development of the Niger Delta.
Otuaro urged Niger Deltans to reciprocate the Federal Government’s interventions by supporting Tinubu at the 2027 polls.
“I must say that as a people, we should make sure we vote massively to ensure his victory in the 2027 general elections. This is the best way to show gratitude to a President who has taken these deliberate steps to help our people and the region,” he said.
The latest deployment brings the number of PAP beneficiaries sent to the UK in 2026 to 243, following the deployment of 93 beneficiaries in January and May.
According to Otuaro, PAP has so far deployed 270 beneficiaries to offshore universities, comprising 11 undergraduates, 238 master’s degree students and 21 PhD candidates. He said 57 beneficiaries had graduated, while 248 were still undergoing their programmes.
The scholars are studying courses including cybersecurity, software engineering, data science and analytics, law, forensic auditing, fintech analytics, construction engineering management, global public health and oil and gas engineering.
Otuaro disclosed that about 56 of the latest beneficiaries graduated with first-class honours in their previous programmes, while about 140 obtained second-class upper division.
He said PAP had also recorded 54 master’s and doctoral graduates under its onshore scholarship programme. For the 2024/2025 academic session, more than 50 beneficiaries graduated with first-class honours, while over 134 obtained second-class upper division.
“As of today, we have 8,700 in-country. That is what President Tinubu has done for the Niger Delta. By the grace of God, we are going to increase the number this year,” he said.
The PAP administrator said the scholarship initiative was designed as a long-term investment in the future of the region, stressing that beneficiaries would be expected to return after their studies and apply their knowledge to community development and nation-building.
He urged the scholars to take their studies seriously, obey the laws of their host countries and comply with the rules of their respective institutions.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Opukeme Gideon, an MSc Cyber Security student at the University of Aberdeen, and Afiyagba Peredisabofa, an MSc Oil and Gas student at Coventry University, thanked the Federal Government and PAP leadership for the opportunity.
They pledged to work hard and become worthy ambassadors of the Niger Delta and Nigeria.
Stakeholders at the event, including the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Dr Boladei Igali; Niger Delta University lecturer, Prof Ben Binebai; activist Ann-Kio Briggs; Delta State Governor’s Senior Policy Adviser, Hon Funkekeme Solomon; and Ijaw Youth Council President, Dr Doubra Okotete, commended the Federal Government for sustaining the scholarship programme.
They also praised Otuaro for expanding the initiative and promoting gender balance in the selection of beneficiaries.
The orientation further exposed the scholars to academic expectations, security considerations, social and cultural dynamics, economic prudence and their obligations to PAP and their host institutions.
Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, serves as the administrative centre of the Federal Government and hosts several major government institutions, including the Presidential Amnesty Programme. PAP was established as part of the Federal Government’s intervention framework for the Niger Delta, with mandates encompassing reintegration, rehabilitation, education, skills acquisition and human capital development for eligible beneficiaries.
The scholarship component has enabled beneficiaries to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies in Nigerian and foreign institutions. The UK remains one of the major destinations for PAP-funded postgraduate education, particularly in specialised fields considered relevant to the region’s development and Nigeria’s wider economic needs.
