Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the establishment of the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK), describing the initiative as critical to Nigeria’s drive for research and manpower development in the petroleum and energy sector.
Speaking when he received the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ahmad Galadima Aminu, at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, the Governor expressed optimism that the college would contribute significantly to advancing local expertise in the industry.
“This college, if well supported, has the potential to develop the kind of local manpower that will change the face of Nigeria’s petroleum industry. We cannot make progress in a fast-changing and complex society if we fail to develop local capacity,” Governor Sani said.
He pledged the Kaduna State Government’s full support to ensure the smooth take-off and operation of the institution.
“I urge the PTDF to approach us for any assistance required to ensure the smooth running of this important institution,” he added.
In his remarks, PTDF Executive Secretary, Ahmad Galadima Aminu, briefed the Governor on the college’s operational readiness and outlined its academic vision, disclosing that CPESK would admit its first set of PhD students in September 2025.
“A total of 3,702 applications were received for our Split-Site PhD Programme. Screening and interviews are ongoing, and successful candidates will soon be admitted into five faculties,” he revealed.
Galadima confirmed that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had fully licensed the institution to offer 19 academic programmes across three faculties and six departments:
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Faculty of Computing and Telecommunications Technology
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Faculty of Earth and Applied Sciences
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Faculty of Energy Law and Management Sciences
He also disclosed that PTDF had signed strategic partnerships with three United Kingdom universities — the University of Strathclyde, Robert Gordon University, and the University of Portsmouth — to enhance the academic scope of the institution.
“These partnerships will facilitate a unique split-site postgraduate programme, where students will primarily study at CPESK in Kaduna and undertake brief academic stays in the UK,” he said.
“Through this model, we aim to combine global academic standards with local relevance, ensuring our graduates are equipped to lead in Nigeria’s energy industry,” Galadima added.
The PTDF initiated the establishment of CPESK in 2009 as part of its strategic drive to build senior technical, managerial, and executive capacity within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
PIAK