Uniport Opens TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship Applications for 2026/2027

The University of Port Harcourt has opened applications for the 2026/2027 TAGDev 2.0 scholarship programme aimed at supporting economically disadvantaged but academically qualified African students pursuing studies in agriculture and related fields.

The scholarship programme is being implemented under the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) initiative coordinated by the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and several African universities.

The 10-year programme, running from 2023 to 2033, seeks to strengthen African universities and technical institutions to better serve communities by equipping young people with skills capable of driving inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient transformation in agriculture and agri-food systems.

According to the organisers, the scholarship programme is open to both male and female applicants, with strong encouragement for applications from women, refugees, internally displaced persons, and persons with disabilities.

Partner universities under TAGDev 2.0

The programme is being implemented by several African universities including:

• Gulu University, Uganda
• Egerton University, Kenya
• Africa University, Zimbabwe
• University of Free State, South Africa
• Malawi University of Science and Technology
• University of Eldoret, Kenya
• Uganda Martyrs University
• University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
• University of Cape Coast, Ghana
• University of Bamenda, Cameroon
• National University of Agriculture, Benin
• Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique, Morocco

The University of Port Harcourt is one of the Nigerian institutions participating in the initiative for the 2026/2027 academic session.

Available programmes at UniPort

The scholarship call covers both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in agriculture and related disciplines.

Undergraduate programmes

Eligible undergraduate programmes include:

• BSc Agricultural Economics
• BSc Agribusiness Management
• BSc Agricultural Extension and Development Studies
• BSc Animal Science
• BSc Food Science and Nutrition

According to the admission guidelines, undergraduate applicants must possess at least five O’Level credits including Mathematics, English Language, Chemistry, Biology or Agricultural Science, and one additional subject such as Physics, Economics, or Geography.

Applicants are also required to:

• Sit for the UTME examination
• Choose University of Port Harcourt as first choice institution
• Participate in the UniPort post-UTME screening exercise

Foreign applicants who meet the O’Level requirements are exempted from UTME and post-UTME conditions.

Postgraduate programmes

Available master’s degree programmes include:

• MSc Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• MSc Agribusiness Management
• MSc Crop Science

Applicants for postgraduate programmes must possess at least a Second Class Honours degree in relevant disciplines from recognised universities.

Nigerian applicants are also required to provide NYSC discharge certificates alongside other admission documents.

Who can apply

According to the organisers, the scholarship is specifically targeted at economically disadvantaged students and applicants from marginalised communities.

Applicants must:

• Be Nigerians or refugees residing in Nigeria
• Be from economically disadvantaged or conflict-affected communities
• Meet admission requirements for their chosen programme
• Demonstrate interest in agriculture, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship
• Show leadership qualities and commitment to community transformation

Applicants already benefiting from another scholarship are not eligible for the TAGDev scholarship.

The organisers warned that beneficiaries discovered to be receiving double scholarships will automatically lose the award.

Age requirements

Applicants must also meet the age requirements stated in the scholarship guidelines.

For undergraduate applicants:

• Applicants must be below 25 years
• Refugees and internally displaced persons may apply up to age 30

For master’s degree applicants:

• Applicants must be below 30 years
• Refugees and internally displaced persons may apply up to age 35

Applicants for undergraduate programmes should also have completed secondary school or diploma studies within the last two years.

For refugees and internally displaced persons, the period extends to four years.

Scholarship benefits

The TAGDev 2.0 programme provides a full board comprehensive scholarship package.

According to the organisers, the scholarship covers:

• Tuition fees
• Research costs
• Living expenses and stipends
• Hostel accommodation
• Laptop provision
• Internship attachment
• Community engagement activities
• Workshop and conference participation
• Entrepreneurship training
• Field attachment support

The programme explained that the scholarship is intended to produce highly skilled graduates capable of creating jobs, building enterprises, and transforming communities through agriculture and agribusiness innovation.

Indirect costs such as participation in international conferences will be handled directly by the RUFORUM Secretariat.

Conditions for retaining the scholarship

The scholarship will be renewed annually based on satisfactory academic performance.

According to the organisers:

• Students must maintain at least Grade B performance
• Retaking more than four courses may lead to scholarship withdrawal
• Examination malpractice or misconduct will lead to automatic disqualification
• Applicants found to have falsified information will lose the scholarship immediately

Successful beneficiaries are also expected to remain connected to the programme as alumni and continue contributing to agricultural transformation efforts after graduation.

Application process for undergraduate applicants

The application process for undergraduate candidates involves three stages.

Stage 1

Applicants must complete the Google application form provided by the organisers.

Stage 2

Candidates must apply for admission through the JAMB portal and select UniPort as first choice institution.

Applicants are expected to sit for the UTME examination and participate in the UniPort screening process.

Required documents include:

• O’Level result
• Birth certificate or age declaration
• Local government identification letter
• Change of name documents where applicable
• International passport for foreign applicants

Stage 3

Applicants must complete the RUFORUM scholarship application through the RUFORUM Information Management System (RIMS).

Application process for postgraduate applicants

Master’s degree applicants must also complete three stages including:

• Google application form
• UniPort School of Graduate Studies admission application
• RUFORUM scholarship application

Postgraduate applicants are required to provide:

• Degree certificates
• NYSC discharge certificate
• O’Level certificate
• Birth certificate
• Identification documents

How to apply for the scholarship

Applicants are required to submit scholarship applications through the RUFORUM Information Management System portal.

Application steps include:

• Create an account on the RIMS portal
• Activate account through email verification
• Login and access scholarship calls
• Select Call ID: RU/2026/TAGDev-2.0/001
• Complete and save the application form
• Download and submit completed forms with university admission documents

Applicants needing assistance can contact the programme administrators through mcf@ruforum.org.

Application deadline

Applications for the TAGDev 2.0 scholarship at University of Port Harcourt will close on June 1, 2026.

The organisers added that dates for virtual information sessions will be announced later.