NDDC Scholarship: Requirements, Eligibility & How to Apply
Quick answer: The NDDC Scholarship is run by the Niger Delta Development Commission for indigenes of the nine Niger Delta states — Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers. It currently has two separate tracks: a Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship (Master’s abroad) and a Local Postgraduate Scholarship (Master’s in accredited Nigerian universities). The 2026/2027 foreign cycle opened 23 March and closed 19 April 2026 — applications are closed right now. The next call usually opens around March; watch nddc.gov.ng. Application is free — never pay an agent.
NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship 2026/2027 — current status
The 2026/2027 application window ran from 23 March to 19 April 2026 and has closed. NDDC has not announced the next cycle yet. Recent cycles have opened around March with roughly a four-week window (the 2025/2026 call closed 21 April 2025), so if you plan to apply, have your documents and a foreign admission letter ready early in the year.
Eligible courses (2026/2027 call)
NDDC listed eight discipline areas for the foreign postgraduate track:
- Agricultural Sciences / Biotechnology
- Engineering
- Environmental Sciences
- Geosciences
- Information Technology / Artificial Intelligence
- Medical Sciences
- Architecture / Building Technology
- Law
Who qualifies
- Indigene of one of the nine Niger Delta states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo or Rivers.
- A first degree from a recognised university.
- An admission letter for a postgraduate programme at a recognised overseas university already in hand.
- Completed NYSC (Discharge or Exemption Certificate).
- Not older than 40 at the time of application.
Documents you will upload
- Recent passport photograph.
- Local Government Area identification letter.
- Postgraduate admission letter from a recognised overseas university.
- Degree certificate or statement of result.
- NYSC Discharge/Exemption Certificate.
How to apply (when the portal opens)
- Go to the NDDC website at www.nddc.gov.ng and follow the scholarship link to the application portal (scholarship.nddc.gov.ng). Create an account, verify your email and log in.
- Complete the online form and upload the documents above.
- Submitting the form generates a registration number — print the acknowledgement page and keep it.
- Shortlisted candidates sit a computer-based test; shortlists are published on the NDDC website.
Selection notes from NDDC’s announcement: preference goes to candidates from oil-producing host communities who meet the cut-off; courses are distributed fairly across the nine states; and deferment, change of institution or change of course is not allowed after the award.
NDDC Local (In-Country) Postgraduate Scholarship
Separately from the foreign track, NDDC runs a Local Postgraduate Scholarship for Master’s study in accredited Nigerian universities, announced on the NDDC website. The same nine-state indigene rule and the under-40 age limit apply, and it covers a wider set of disciplines than the foreign track. Details and the application window for the next local cycle are published on nddc.gov.ng when it opens.
Good to know: through 2026, beneficiaries of the 2025 local postgraduate cohort publicly reported long delays in receiving their scholarship funds (reported by The Sun and Sahara Reporters). NDDC has not published an official statement on this. It does not mean the programme is cancelled — but plan your finances realistically and confirm payment timelines directly with NDDC if you are awarded.
Contact NDDC about scholarships
- Education Directorate phone: +234(0)9137806550
- Email: foreign.scholarship@nddc.gov.ng
Anti-scam: the NDDC application is free and only happens on the official portal reached via nddc.gov.ng. Nobody can “secure the slot” for you for a fee — anyone asking for money for forms, processing or shortlisting is a scammer.
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