The Senator representing Cross River Southern Senatorial District, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong has lauded the outstanding performance of beneficiaries of the 2025 Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship Programme, revealing that more than 40 scholars graduated with distinctions while over 150 earned merit grades across various foreign universities.
The senator made the remarks after attending the graduation ceremony of the 2025 scholarship beneficiaries at Coventry University on Thursday, July 30, alongside members of the Senate Committee on NDDC, the NDDC Board, Management, and staff.
According to Ekpenyong, who chairs the Senate Committee on NDDC, the achievements of the scholars demonstrate the immense potential of young Nigerians when provided with quality educational opportunities and the right environment to thrive.
He noted that the success of the scholarship programme reflects the collective commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, the Senate Committee on NDDC, and the Board and Management of the NDDC to ensuring that financial limitations do not prevent deserving students from accessing world-class education.
Ekpenyong also said the initiative complements the Federal Government's broader education reforms, particularly efforts to expand access to higher education through improved student financing.
Addressing concerns about the value of overseas education, the senator argued that foreign postgraduate scholarships provide beneficiaries with exposure to global best practices, cutting-edge research, and international networks that will ultimately contribute to Nigeria's development.
He pledged to continue advocating for increased budgetary allocations to the programme to enable more qualified young people from the Niger Delta to benefit from the opportunity.
The senator commended the NDDC Education Directorate for the successful implementation of the scholarship scheme over the years and congratulated the graduating scholars for making their families, the Niger Delta, and Nigeria proud.
He urged the graduates to return home and deploy the knowledge, skills, and experiences acquired abroad to support national development, encouraging them to create opportunities for others as a way of giving back to society.
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