Presidential Amnesty Programme Scholarship 2027: Niger Delta Eligibility, Documents and Deadline

The Presidential Amnesty Programme Scholarship (PAP Scholarship) pays tuition, accommodation, a monthly allowance and a book allowance for indigenes of the nine Niger Delta states who are entering 100 level at an approved Nigerian university. It is run by the Office of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. The deadline is 21 August 2027.

The undergraduate track is for people who sat UTME in the year of the call, or who are new 100 level entrants that session. You need five O’Level credits including English and Mathematics, an LGA letter of identification and a valid UTME result. There is also a postgraduate track for master’s and PhD study.

PAP Scholarship at a glance

(based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens)

The 2026/2027 round closed on 21 August 2026. The portal now shows applications as closed, so you cannot register until the new call opens.

The scholarship sits inside the wider Amnesty Programme, which was set up to help reintegrate former Niger Delta agitators into civilian life. That background explains two features you will not see on most awards: the LGA identification letter, and the year of service in the Niger Delta that undergraduate scholars owe after graduating.

Who can apply for the PAP Scholarship

Undergraduate track

1. State: you are an indigene of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo or Rivers.
2. Age: you are at least 16.
3. UTME: you sat UTME that year and meet the PAP minimum score, or you are already a new 100 level entrant.
4. O’Level: five credits in WAEC or NECO, including English and Mathematics. Awaiting result candidates are not accepted.
5. Course: your course is on PAP’s approved list.

The scholarship page on osapnd.gov.ng also describes applicants as registered PAP beneficiaries, meaning ex-agitators or eligible people from impacted communities. The portal itself lists state of origin, age and results as the tests. If you are unsure which applies to you, call the programme office before the call closes.

Postgraduate track

• You meet the same state and age rules.
• You hold a first degree (for a master’s) or a master’s degree (for a PhD), and you have finished NYSC or hold an exemption.
• Former PAP undergraduates need a First Class or Second Class Upper, and their funding is at PAP’s discretion.
• You may sit a written test before an interview.

Eligibility edge cases

• Living outside the Niger Delta: the test is being an indigene, shown by the LGA letter. Where you grew up or wrote WAEC does not change that.
• Mixed parentage: the portal does not say whether a mother’s state counts. Nigerian LGA letters usually follow the father’s origin, so if your mother is the Niger Delta indigene, ask the office before you apply.
• Under 16: excluded. Some very young SS3 leavers fall below this line.
• Older UTME result: the 2026 portal asked for the 2026 UTME, unless you were already a new 100 level entrant that session. A two-year-old score with no admission does not match.
• Polytechnics and private universities: the undergraduate track speaks of selected Nigerian universities and approved institutions. The programme has not published the list, so confirm your school is on it.
• Minimum UTME score: the portal mentions a PAP minimum but does not publish the number. Treat your university’s departmental cut-off as the floor and aim well above it.

Documents for the PAP Scholarship

Start with the LGA letter. Get it from your local government secretariat as soon as your UTME result is out; it can take days. If you are still waiting on your score, our guide on checking your JAMB result shows how to print the slip.

The portal asks you to scan your documents but does not publish file formats or sizes. Scan each one in colour as a PDF or clear JPEG, keep them small enough to upload on a mobile connection, and check that names and dates are readable. The portal stresses that every detail must be accurate and verifiable, so make sure the name and date of birth on your LGA letter, birth certificate, WAEC and JAMB records match.

How to apply for the PAP Scholarship

1. Check the portal: go to scholarship.osapnd.gov.ng when the 2027/2028 call opens.
2. Create an account: register with your email and phone number.
3. Fill the form: state, LGA, results and chosen course.
4. Upload scans: O’Level, UTME, LGA letter, age proof and admission letter if you have it.
5. Review and submit: before 21 August 2027.
6. Wait for selection: shortlisted candidates may take a written aptitude test or an oral interview.

Applying is free; never pay anyone. The programme says it charges no fee at any stage, and anyone asking for money should be reported to the office.

Your choice of course matters more here than on most awards, because PAP funds only courses on its approved list. Before you fill the form, ask the office for the current list (it is not printed on the portal) and check that your UTME course appears on it. If it does not, you may be better off waiting for a year or applying to a different award.

Is there an essay? Preparing for the test and interview

The portal does not ask for an essay or personal statement. Selection rests on your documents and, for those shortlisted, a written test or an oral interview. The programme has not published the test format or the interview questions, so prepare for the obvious areas.

1. Your subjects: revise the four UTME subjects for your course, since an aptitude test is likely to draw on general knowledge and reasoning at that level.
2. Why this course: have a short answer ready, tied to a need you have seen in your community.
3. The Niger Delta service year: be ready to say what you would do in that year. It shows you have read the terms.
4. Your documents: bring originals of everything you uploaded. Interview panels for government awards often verify on the spot.

A sample interview answer to “Why this course?”: “I chose Petroleum Engineering because the flow station near my village in Southern Ijaw has been leaking into our creek since I was in JSS2, and I want to be one of the engineers who can fix it.” Short, specific and local works better than a general speech about the economy.

What happens after you apply

1. Screening: the office checks your state, age, results and course against the rules.
2. Test or interview: shortlisted candidates are invited. Watch your email and phone.
3. Final selection: successful candidates are notified. No results date has been published.
4. Funding each session: tuition and accommodation are paid, and allowances follow. Funding is reviewed every session against the 2.0 CGPA rule.

Rules once you are a PAP scholar

• Keep a CGPA of at least 2.0 every session; funding is reviewed yearly.
• Follow the programme’s conduct rules. False information or misconduct can lead to withdrawal.
• Undergraduate scholars must do one year of service in the Niger Delta after graduating.

Costs the scholarship may not cover

The programme lists tuition, accommodation, the In-Training Allowance and a book allowance, but it has not published the allowance amounts or when the first payment lands. Expect to pay your acceptance fee and early registration costs yourself, since they usually fall due before results are out. Medical tests, departmental dues, transport home and a laptop are not mentioned among the benefits.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying with awaiting result. The portal rejects it.
• Choosing a course that is not on the approved list.
• Leaving the LGA letter until the last week.
• Uploading documents with different spellings of your name or different dates of birth.
• Paying “facilitators” who claim they can add you to the beneficiary list.

Similar awards for South-South and Niger Delta students

The DESOPADEC Bursary starts at 200 level, so Delta indigenes from its mandate communities who miss PAP can still apply for it from their second year.

Who should apply, and who should not

Apply if you are an indigene of one of the nine states, at least 16, you have your WAEC or NECO result in hand with five credits, you wrote UTME this year or are a new 100 level student, and your course is on the approved list. Graduates who have finished NYSC and want a funded master’s or PhD in Nigeria should look at the postgraduate track.

Skip it if you are from outside the nine states, still awaiting your O’Level result, already in 200 level, or unwilling to do a year of service in the Niger Delta after graduation.

PAP Scholarship contacts

FAQs about the PAP Scholarship

Can I apply for the amnesty scholarship with awaiting result?

No. The portal says candidates awaiting WAEC or NECO results are not eligible.

Which states are eligible for the PAP Scholarship?

Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers. You must be an indigene of one of them.

What CGPA do I need to keep the amnesty scholarship?

At least 2.0 every session. Funding is reviewed yearly.

When is the PAP Scholarship deadline?

The deadline is 21 August 2027.

Sources and updates

Eligibility, documents, the 2.0 CGPA rule, the no-fee notice, the approved course list rule and the contact numbers come from the PAP scholarship portal, rechecked on 24 October 2026. Benefits, the registered beneficiary wording, the postgraduate track and the one-year service rule come from the scholarship page on osapnd.gov.ng. The 21 August 2026 closing date and the age limit are confirmed by After School Africa and ScholarshipAir. The programme has not published the minimum UTME score, the approved course list, allowance amounts, file formats, the test format or a results date. I will update this page when the 2027/2028 call opens.

Jude Chinecherem

I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.