Amnesty Programme Sends 34 Postgraduate Scholarship Beneficiaries To UK

Presidential Amnesty Programme  (PAP) has sent another 34 postgraduate scholarship beneficiaries to universities in the United Kingdom (UK) 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, among others.

In December 2025, nine students, who were the first recipients of the PAP Administrator’s offshore post-graduate scholarship development scheme for the 2024-2025 academic year, graduated from UK universities.

The PAP administrator, Chief Denis Otuaro, has sent over 9,000 students to universities within and outside Nigeria for various industry-relevant programmes since assuming office in March 2024.

At a pre-departure orientation programme for the scholars at the PAP headquarters in Abuja yesterday, Otuaro said the large-scale deployment was aimed at making the Niger Delta a knowledge-driven region.

He stated that his leadership revitalised the programme, giving it new momentum in service delivery to the region’s people, based on President Bola Tinubu’s mandate.

Otuaro said, “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 GCFR.

“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 boss, 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.

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

He reiterated his warning that beneficiaries should not take for granted the opportunity to further their academic pursuits in the interest of the Niger Delta and indeed the country.

Otuaro expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his “enormous interest and support for the Programme”, particularly for 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 impeccable guidance and supervision of the programme’s initiatives.

Otuaro, therefore, cautioned the scholars to obey their host country’s laws and the rules and regulations of their various institutions, stressing that they are ambassadors of Nigeria, the Niger Delta and their communities and families.

The highlight of the orientation programme was the presentation of laptops to the scholars to help them in their studies.