The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing indigenous research and technology development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Executive Secretary of PTDF, Ahmed Aminu, said this on Wednesday in Abuja during a combined peer review of the Annual Oil and Gas Research Grant Competition and the Endowment Research Programme.

Mr Aminu said the review marked the final stage of selected research projects covering thematic areas such as integrated pipeline monitoring, carbon nanotube-enhanced solar cells, and renewable energy from non-edible oil seeds.

He added that the projects also focused on sustainable fuels and geological studies of the Middle Benue Trough.

Mr Aminu explained that two awardees under the Oil and Gas Research Grant Programme and three research streams under the Endowment Programme were assessed, showing strong potential for intellectual property rights registration and commercialisation.

“Established by Act 25 of 1973, PTDF is mandated to build the capacity and competencies of Nigerians in the oil and gas industry,” he said.

Mr Aminu noted that registered patents and research publications were key performance indicators of the programmes.

He added that to qualify for PTDF research grants, lead researchers must be Nigerian and projects must be domiciled in the country, while endowment programme chair professors were selected via university recruitment panels and management committees.

Mr Aminu urged stakeholders to support Nigerian researchers to generate viable outcomes that enhance sustainable growth, create jobs, and strengthen innovation in the energy sector.

Orisemeyiwa Eyesan, representing the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), lauded PTDF for boosting research credibility, influencing policy, and fostering continuous collaboration to promote energy security.

Sonny Echono of TETFund, represented by Saaban Labaran, reiterated support for PTDF’s vision of strengthening Nigeria’s research ecosystem.

Goodwill messages were also delivered by the NNPC, the National Board for Technology Incubation, NCDMB, and NMDPRA.

The peer review brought together steering committee members, industry leaders, subject matter experts, end users, and researchers to assess progress, methodology, relevance, and expected impact of ongoing research initiatives in line with PTDF’s mandate. 

(NAN)