The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) is collaborating with University of Sao Paulo in Brazil for the training of its Overseas Scholarship Scheme.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Fund, Ahmed Galadima, said PTDF is partnership with some institutions abroad for joint sponsorship arrangement on scholar’s tuition and for research owing to the cash crunch the country is presently going through.
Galadima said the Letter of Intent for International co-operation between the Fund and the Brazilian Institution signalled the beginning of the cooperation.
The letter was jointly signed on behalf of the University of Sao Paulo by the Director/Dean, Professor José Roberto Castilho Piqueira and the PTDF interim boss.
As from September 2016, PTDF will start sending Nigerian scholars to the University on free tuition arrangement, which was described as historic and a great milestone achievement for the Fund by the Acting Executive Secretary.
“This event marks the formalisation of a relationship between PTDF and one of the outstanding universities in Brazil and indeed in South America. For the first time we are sending Nigerian students overseas to study oil and gas related courses on tuition free basis, so we are highly excited with the collaboration. We believe that this is going to be the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship between PTDF and the University of Sao Paulo and between Nigeria and Brazil,” he stated.
Professor José Roberto Castilho Piqueira, Dean University of Sao Paulo said the event sign-posts the commencement of an enduring relationship and partnership between the University and a great country like Nigeria through PTDF to achieve technological independence.
The Consul-General, Consulate of Nigeria to Brazil, Muntari Abdul Kaita, who witnessed the signing of the documents of Intent, recalled the long standing relationship between Nigeria and Brazil particularly in the promotion of educational and technological opportunities through the students exchange programme went as far back as 30 years ago.
He explained that the new agreement between PTDF and USP would open a new vista of opportunity for transfer of knowledge and technology, based on South-South co-operation.
He stated: “The relationship between Nigeria and Brazil has been on for a very long time. We have lots of Nigerians that passed through the University of Sao Paulo. Today they have settled here and contributing their own part. But this new agreement between PTDF and USP will open a new vista of opportunity for us. We have seen in Brazil a lot of things that we envy and we want to have them in Nigeria. And since you are willing to transfer such knowledge and technology to us, it is a thing of pride. This event of today is of high significance to us as a government. We give credit to the university of Sao Paulo administration and also thanks to PTDF for taking advantage of the academic opportunities offered by the University and we look forward to having more co-operation with Brazilian Institutions”.
