The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has issued a stern warning to Nigerians about the rising threat of fraudulent scholarship schemes targeting unsuspecting individuals through deceptive communication channels.

In an official statement released from Port Harcourt, Mrs. Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs at the NDDC, disclosed that cybercriminals have been circulating fake emails and messages, falsely claiming to represent the commission’s Postgraduate Foreign Scholarship Programme. These messages are designed to lure victims into a fraudulent verification process by requesting payments under the guise of securing scholarship opportunities.

“Our attention has been drawn to fraudulent correspondence—primarily emails originating from nddcregistry@gmail.com—posing as communication from the NDDC’s Board Registry,” Thompson-Wakama revealed. “These messages invite recipients to attend a fabricated document verification exercise allegedly scheduled from May 19 to May 21 at a non-existent office in Victoria Island, Lagos.”

She emphasized that the NDDC has no connection with these deceptive schemes and has not authorized any such selection process outside its regulated channels. To maintain transparency and uphold regulatory compliance, the commission reiterated that all official communications regarding its scholarship initiatives are strictly managed through the official portal: www.scholarship.nddc.gov.ng.

“Applicants should be aware that any solicitation of money, personal information, or scholarship placement through unofficial sources is fraudulent and should be disregarded,” she stated. “This is a clear breach of compliance protocols and an attempt to exploit public trust.”

Thompson-Wakama urged members of the public to report such phishing attempts to relevant law enforcement agencies for prompt investigation and regulatory enforcement. She also encouraged former and prospective scholarship beneficiaries to verify all updates directly via the NDDC’s main website: www.nddc.gov.ng.

This alert underscores the growing importance of regulatory technology solutions in combating cyber-enabled fraud and reinforcing public sector governance. As phishing schemes become increasingly sophisticated, institutions must intensify compliance monitoring tools, public awareness, and risk mitigation strategies to protect stakeholders and preserve the integrity of public programmes.