Tullow Oil, a multinational oil and gas exploration and production company, has sponsored 30 Kenyan students to the United Kingdom for postgraduate studies.

The goal is to ensure that Kenyans can fully take part in developing the oil and gas sector and benefit from the opportunities it creates in the other sectors of the economy.

The 30 form nearly a third of the more than 100 scholars from 8 African and South American countries who will benefit from the Tullow Group Scholarship Scheme this year.

"The Scheme aims at addressing skill gaps in countries where the company operates by helping locals gain expertise in oil and gas as well as in other industries which are stimulated by the growth of the sector," said Tullow Country Manager, Martin Mbogo.

Mbogo also said, after vetting the students at the send off event that the company hosted yesterday, that the organization aims at strengthening academic institutions within the country and deploying some of them to centres of excellence to reduce the need for scholarships in institutions overseas.

Also speaking at the event, British Council Country Director for Kenya, Tony Reilly, said, “It is an honour for us to manage the Tullow Group Scholarship Scheme which has provided life-changing opportunities for more than 200 young professionals from 9 countries, including Kenya, through postgraduate scholarship awards.”

The students will leave the country September and will pursue courses including engineering and technology, environment and geosciences, oil and gas economics, logistics and supply chain and law.

So far 55, Kenyans have benefited from the scheme which complements Tullow’s other educational and capacity-building initiatives, most of which are concentrated in regions in which it operates.

The company has also instituted the Secondary School Scholarship Program and an education program in Turkana county with the aim of improving participation in primary and secondary education .