At a close-out ceremony in Port Harcourt for 23 trainees who completed a rigorous 12-month development programme, NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the initiative as a model for homegrown talent development. “This success is not just symbolic—it’s strategic,” he said. “It marks real progress under our 10-Year Strategic Road Map’s first pillar: technical capability development.”

Raising a Skilled Workforce for the Energy Future

The training—launched under HEOSL’s Gas-Lifting of Compressors Project—focused on equipping young Nigerians with globally competitive skills for oil and gas operations. Ogbe, represented at the event by Mrs. Tarilate Teide-Bribena, Manager of Human Capital Development, said the Board remains committed to interventions that empower locals and raise industry standards.

“We’re not just training workers—we’re shaping a workforce that can compete anywhere,” she stated.

Industry Collaboration Bears Fruit

HEOSL’s Nigerian Content Development Manager, Mr. Felix Usiwo, credited NCDMB’s support for the programme’s success. He urged the graduating trainees to capitalise on their new certifications by registering on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS). “This is your launchpad,” he said. “You now have skills recognised beyond Nigeria’s borders.”

Training firm Sherman Gray Limited also praised the Board’s oversight. Engr. Abiodun Olunde, who represented the firm, noted that NCDMB’s involvement—from policy to project support—kept the programme on track.

A Pathway to Progress

The human capital drive by NCDMB is part of a broader mission to localise expertise and retain value within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. With strategic training like this, the Board is not only fulfilling legal mandates but also catalysing socioeconomic change.

As one trainee remarked privately: “This is more than training—it’s a chance at a better future.”