Tinubu to commission College of Petroleum in Kaduna — Uba Sani

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to commission the newly established College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK), later this month, following the granting of a provisional license for the institution to operate as a private postgraduate university.

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, disclosed this on Monday when he received the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ahmad Galadima Aminu, on a courtesy visit at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.

Commending Tinubu for his commitment to human capital development, Governor Sani emphasised the strategic importance of the new institution in transforming Nigeria’s energy landscape.

He not only assured the Executive Secretary and his management of his support to make the commissioning a huge success, but also asked PTDF to approach Kaduna State, “for any assistance required to ensure the smooth running of this important institution.

“We cannot make progress in a fast-changing and complex society if we fail to develop local capacity. This College, if well supported, has the potential of developing local manpower that will change the face of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry,” he said.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary said that he and his team came to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House to brief the Governor on the progress that has been achieved for the take-off of the college.

Ahmad Galadima disclosed that the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna, will admit its first cohort of PhD students in September 2025.

“A total of 3,702 applications were received by the PTDF for the Split-Site PhD Programme. Currently, screening and interviews are ongoing, and successful candidates will soon be admitted into five faculties,” he added.

The Executive Secretary listed the Faculty of Computing and Telecommunications Technology, Faculty of Earth and Applied Sciences, as well as Faculty of Energy Law and Management Sciences as the faculties that will commence operation.

According to him, the College has been licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as a private postgraduate institution that will offer 19 academic programmes across six departments and three faculties.

Ahmad Galadima further pointed out that PTDF has signed strategic partnerships with three UK universities with the University of Strathclyde, Robert Gordon University and the University of Portsmouth.

“These partnerships will support the delivery of a split-site postgraduate studies, where students will primarily study at CPESK here in Kaduna, with short academic stays at the partner universities in the United Kingdom,” he added.

The Executive Secretary recalled that PTDF commenced the establishment of the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK) in 2009, to train senior technical, managerial, and executive personnel for Nigeria’s energy sector.

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