The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and several African universities, has opened applications for the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) Programme for the 2026/2027 academic session at the University of Port Harcourt (UniPort).
The TAGDev 2.0 Programme is a 10-year initiative running from 2023 to 2033. It is designed to strengthen universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across Africa by empowering young people with skills, leadership capacity, entrepreneurship knowledge and practical agricultural training.
Participating institutions in the programme include Gulu University (Uganda), Egerton University (Kenya), Africa University (Zimbabwe), University of Free State (South Africa), Malawi University of Science and Technology (Malawi), University of Eldoret (Kenya), Uganda Martyrs University (Uganda), University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria), University of Cape Coast (Ghana), University of Bamenda (Cameroon), National University of Agriculture (Benin), and Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (Morocco).
According to the organisers, the scholarship targets academically competent but economically disadvantaged students. Female applicants, refugees and persons living with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
At UniPort, the scholarship is available for selected undergraduate and postgraduate programmes related to agriculture, agribusiness and food systems.
Eligible undergraduate courses include BSc Agricultural Economics, BSc Agribusiness Management, BSc Agricultural Extension and Development Studies, BSc Animal Science, and BSc Food Science and Nutrition.
For postgraduate applicants, eligible programmes include MSc Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, MSc Agribusiness Management, and MSc Crop Science.
Applicants seeking undergraduate admission must possess at least five O’Level credits in subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Agricultural Science, and one additional subject such as Physics, Economics or Geography in not more than two sittings.
Candidates are also required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), select the University of Port Harcourt as first choice institution during JAMB registration, and pass the UniPort post-UTME screening exercise. Foreign applicants who meet the O’Level requirements are exempted from UTME and post-UTME requirements.
For postgraduate admission, candidates must possess at least a Second Class Honours degree in relevant disciplines from UniPort or another recognised university. Applicants are also expected to provide required documents including degree certificates, NYSC discharge certificate for Nigerians, O’Level results, birth certificate or age declaration, and identification documents.
The scholarship is specifically open to Nigerians from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, including candidates from conflict and post-conflict communities. Refugees residing in Nigeria are also eligible to apply.
Applicants for undergraduate studies must be below 25 years old, while master’s degree applicants must be below 30 years old at the time of application. Refugees and internally displaced persons are allowed higher age limits of 30 years for undergraduate studies and 35 years for master’s programmes.
The organisers also stated that applicants should demonstrate interest in agriculture, agribusiness, entrepreneurship, community transformation and leadership. Candidates already benefiting from another scholarship are not eligible.
Successful applicants will receive a full board comprehensive scholarship covering tuition fees, research costs, conference and workshop expenses, accommodation, living stipends, internship attachments, fieldwork, community engagement activities, entrepreneurship training and laptops.
RUFORUM explained that the scholarship will be renewed annually based on satisfactory academic performance at the University of Port Harcourt. However, students who fail excessively or violate university regulations risk losing the scholarship.
Interested undergraduate applicants are expected to first complete the Google form through this application link forms.gle/k8paAii6J6SWggQM9 before proceeding with JAMB and UniPort admission processes.
Candidates can check UniPort admission information through University of Port Harcourt official website and the JAMB portal.
Postgraduate applicants are also required to complete the Google form before applying through the UniPort School of Graduate Studies portal at www.uniport-sgs.com.
For the scholarship application itself, candidates must apply through the RUFORUM Information Management System (RIMS) portal https://rims2.ruforum.org/.
Applicants are required to create an account, activate it through email verification, log in, navigate to “Scholarship Calls,” and select Call ID: RU/2026/TAGDev-2.0/001 before completing and submitting the application.
The organisers advised applicants to save drafts regularly, print completed forms where necessary, and submit supporting documents through the university admission portal or hard copy submission where applicable.
The submission deadline for all applications is June 1, 2026.
