Prominent players advocate increased HCD, to fill talent gaps in the oil and gas industry

The Commission Chief Executive, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, ND Western’s, Olanrewaju Kalejaiye, the Director-General, Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, the Pioneer Chairman of Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria, OGTAN, Prof. Mike Onyekonwu and other critical stakeholders, have advocated increased and sustained indigenous Human Capacity Development, HCD to fill the talent gaps in the oil and gas industry of Nigeria.

Fresh Angle International, can report that they made the call during a panel discussion, Thursday August 20, on day-2 of the OGTAN HCD Conference and Expo 2026, held at Petroleum Training Institute, PTI Conference Centre, Effurun in Uvwie Local Government of Delta State.

Focusing on the subject; “Setting the Agenda – Local Content & Human Capital under PIA 2021 & NOGICD” the panelists, said more than a decade of stalled investment, hollowed out Nigeria’s talent pipeline.

The NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Ogbe, represented by the Director of Capacity Building, NCDMB, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, acknowledged that the industry went through a long drought of new Final Investment Decision, FIDs, adding that Nigeria “effectively lost nearly 15 years of investment”, long enough for an entire generation of graduates to miss proper industry training.

The Speakers, pointed out that structural certificates are being awarded without competence, noting that classrooms are teaching theory, without practical exposure. And the few skilled Nigerians are looking for greener pastures outside the shores of Nigeria.

They commended President Bola Tinubu’s policies and executive orders, as the NCDMB identified 10 critical skill sets, with production and maintenance, plus control and automation, topping the demand list.

MD/CEO of ND Western, Mr. Olanrewaju Kalejaiye, and other stakeholders, stressed that Human Capacity Deployment, is often treated as a compliance box, adding that it determines whether Nigeria can safely produce hydrocarbons and deliver value.

 “Training should improve safety, reliability, cost performance and output growth,” he said.

Kalejaiye maintained that effective Human Capacity Development, must combine knowledge with field exposure, urging International Oil Companies, IOCs, indigenous firms and regulators to collaborate. 

Some of the guests, displaying their awards, while others observe 

According to him, brownfield assets up to 60 years, pose new challenges now that indigenous players no longer inherit full IOC technical support.

The DG of ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, focused on demographic terms of Nigeria, saying Nigeria has about 138 million people, half under 30, with a fertility rate of 4.5.

According to him: “Competence should be defined by the ability to do the job, not by the possession of a certificate,” adding that skilled labour, naturally moves to where it is best rewarded.

Dr. Ogun, posited that Nigeria must shift from “local content” to “regional content” by exploring the opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA. 

He called for apprenticeship models like Mercedes-Benz, entrepreneurship support, and training designed for Africa, saying NCDMB’s mandate should be extended beyond oil and gas, to include telecoms and other sectors.

On his part, anchor of the panel discussion, Prof. Mike Onyekonwu, described Nigerian graduates as “worthy raw material” stressing the need to expose them to quality systems, digital skills and commercial thinking.

Prof. Onyekonwu charged universities to deploy digital resources, stop lecturer strikes, and make the first six months of engineering training IT-focused, just as he demanded a national industry data repository, to enable students do real project research and excel in their various fields.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, assured of the Federal Government’s continued support to OGTAN.

He stated: "We are getting investment coming in billions of dollars, we have several projects that are coming into the country and it is expected that people work on them. 

"Nigeria is globally competitive. We are strategically positioned in an area, where we can distribute. OGTAN collaboration with PTI is doing what it is expected to do. The energy landscape is changing and you the trainers, need to be retrained so that they can be equipped with the requisite knowledge.

"As government, we want to see how we can support you so that you can do what only you can do.

"It is important to know that Africa and whole world is looking to Nigeria for Human Capital, The capacity we have, is nonexistent in other African countries. 

"With the volume of projects we will be experiencing in Nigeria, we need you on ground. We will give you all the support to do what you know how to do. As government, we are behind you and we will support you".

×