The Federal Government, through the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), has invited Nigerian researchers to submit proposals for its 2026 Annual Oil and Gas Research Grant Competition.
The programme is designed to strengthen indigenous research capacity and promote the development of technological solutions to challenges facing Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
According to PTDF’s call for research proposals, successful applicants will receive grants in instalments tied to the achievement of project milestones.
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The competition is open to qualified researchers working in academic institutions, companies, research organisations and non-governmental organisations.
Here is a guide to the eligibility requirements, approved research areas, proposal format and application process.
Who can apply?
According to PTDF, applicants must meet the following requirements:
Must be Nigerian citizens residing in Nigeria.
Must work in an academic institution, company, research organisation or non-governmental organisation.
The Principal Researcher must be a senior academic.
The Principal Researcher must reside in Nigeria, although collaboration with Nigerians living abroad is permitted.
Collaboration with industry professionals and organisations is strongly encouraged.
Multidisciplinary research teams are advantageous.
PTDF also encourages collaboration between academic researchers and industry professionals to strengthen the practical relevance of proposed projects.
What research areas are eligible?
The 2026 competition covers eight research themes. Applicants are expected to develop proposals that address relevant challenges or opportunities within one of the following areas:
1. Energy security, basin development and subsurface excellence
This theme covers artificial intelligence-driven seismic imaging, basin modelling, frontier-basin viability, high-pressure and high-temperature systems, deepwater systems, digital twins and source-rock modelling.
2. Sustainable production, enhanced oil recovery and asset integrity
Eligible research areas include smart wells, predictive maintenance, enhanced oil recovery, carbon dioxide injection, corrosion and scale control, pipeline integrity, robotics and mechatronics.
3. Gas commercialisation, utilisation and flare reduction
This category covers gas-to-power, gas-to-liquids, mini-LNG and compressed natural gas systems, liquefied petroleum gas and petrochemical processing, flare monetisation, gas-to-chemicals and the commercialisation of stranded gas.
4. Integrated technologies, renewables and low-carbon solutions
Research areas include locally sourced solar photovoltaic materials, hybrid gas-renewable systems, offshore wind, battery storage, microgrids, hydrogen, geothermal energy, waste-to-energy and carbon capture, utilisation and storage.
5. Environmental sustainability, circular economy and ESG
This theme covers bioremediation, pollution clean-up using nanotechnology, produced-water treatment, methane reduction, carbon accounting, waste recycling, biodiversity protection, oil spill detection and remediation, and host-community development.
6. Digital oilfield, automation and emerging technologies
Eligible areas include artificial intelligence and machine learning, industrial Internet of Things, robotics for inspection and drilling, cybersecurity, cloud and edge computing, autonomous operations, digital twins, blockchain, generative AI and large language models.
7. Facilities engineering, infrastructure, local content and industrial systems
This category includes integrated facility management, reliability engineering, brownfield upgrades, energy-efficient operations, local fabrication, additive manufacturing, import substitution, and supply-chain and logistics systems.
8. Energy economics and finance, fiscal systems, policy analytics and human capital development
Research areas include macroeconomic policy evaluation, oil price volatility, fiscal systems, Petroleum Industry Act modelling, investment optimisation, gas fiscal frameworks, energy-market forecasting, carbon pricing, green finance, stranded-asset risks and workforce development.
How to prepare the research proposal
PTDF requires applicants to follow a prescribed proposal structure, with a maximum of 5,000 words.
The proposal must contain the following sections:
Cover page: State the selected research theme and project title.
Executive summary: Provide a one-page overview of the industry problem, proposed solution, commercialisation pathway and expected impact.
Background and problem definition: Explain the industry challenge and establish its relevance.
Literature review and gap analysis: Discuss existing research, identify gaps and explain the proposed study's contribution.
Research objectives: Outline the main objective, specific measurable objectives and capacity-building objectives.
Methodology: Explain the research design, data sources, tools, experiments or models to be used, and risk mitigation measures.
Research plan and timeline: Present the proposed activities, milestones, deliverables and estimated project duration.
Commercialisation and adoption plan: Explain how the research findings or proposed technology could be adopted, including the commercialisation pathway and potential industry impact.
Research budget and justification: Provide a breakdown of expected costs and explain their relevance to the project.
Capacity-building components: Outline training, knowledge-transfer activities, workshops and expected publications.
References: Use recent and relevant literature.
Tables and figures: Provide these separately in line with the portal's sectional format.
Appendices: Include supporting diagrams, data, schematics and evidence of collaboration or industry interest.
Applicants must use Times New Roman, font size 12, 1.5 line spacing and 2.54cm margins on all sides. Citations and references must follow the APA 7 referencing style.
PTDF also requires applicants to exclude personal and institutional identifiers, including names and logos, from their submissions.
How will proposals be assessed?
According to the official guidelines, proposals will be assessed based on industry relevance and problem definition, originality and research gaps, research objectives, methodology and technical merit.
Other considerations include the research plan and timeline, commercialisation and adoption strategy, budget justification, value for money, and the capacity of the research team and institution.
A team of academic and industry experts will shortlist proposals for oral presentation. Shortlisted Principal Researchers will subsequently be required to defend their proposals before a panel.
The maximum duration for funded projects is 24 months.
PTDF also provides budget limits to guide applicants' financial planning. The stated nominal caps include equipment at 25 per cent, personnel at 20 per cent, travel and collaboration at five per cent, dissemination at three per cent, and institutional charges at 10 per cent.
How to apply
Interested and eligible researchers can follow these steps to submit their proposals:
Step 1: Visit the application portal
Go to the official PTDF Oil and Gas Research Grant portal at https://oilandgasresearch.ptdf.gov.ng.
Step 2: Create an account
New applicants must register on the portal before starting an application. Those with existing accounts can sign in.
Step 3: Select a research theme
Choose the research theme that best aligns with the proposed project and the industry problem it seeks to address.
Step 4: Prepare the research proposal
Develop the proposal using PTDF's prescribed structure. Ensure it contains clear objectives, a methodology, research timeline, commercialisation plan and justified budget.
Step 5: Review the application requirements
Check that the proposal meets the 5,000-word limit, formatting and APA 7 referencing requirements. Remove all personal and institutional identifiers, including names and logos.
Step 6: Submit the proposal
Complete the required sections and submit the application electronically through the official PTDF portal.
Step 7: Monitor the application
Applicants should regularly check the portal and their communication channels for updates on assessment, shortlisting and possible invitations to defend their proposals.
Application deadline
The deadline for the 2026 PTDF Annual Oil and Gas Research Grant Competition is Wednesday, February 10, 2027.
For enquiries about eligibility, deadlines and the application process, PTDF lists the following contacts:
Nkechi Ofoegbu: [email protected]
Usman Micheal Oluwasegun: [email protected]
Seno Albert: [email protected]
Interested researchers can access the full guidelines and submit their proposals through the official PTDF research grant portal.
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