NCDMB to Train Over 10,000 Nigerians in High-Demand Oil and Gas Skills
By Naija Enquirer Staff
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has unveiled a landmark Human Capital Development (HCD) Program that will train over 10,000 young graduates and technicians in top 10 high-demand skills within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The initiative, known as the Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program, aims to equip the next generation of Nigerians with practical, industry-relevant competencies for lucrative careers in the oil and gas industry. It also seeks to position them for participation in recently launched multibillion-dollar projects by both international and indigenous operators.
Bridging Skill Gaps in the Energy Sector
Announcing the program on Friday, NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the initiative will close critical skill gaps identified from expatriate quota applications and consultations with key industry stakeholders including the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), and Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS).
According to Ogbe, the Board also leveraged insights from previous studies by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and its own analysis of upcoming projects to identify skill priorities.
The top 10 skill areas for the program include:
- Subsea Engineering (wellheads, flowlines, umbilicals, subsea trees)
- Underwater Welding
- Control and Automation Engineering (cementing, well control, rig operations)
- Helicopter Piloting
- Seamanship (including vessel mechanics and electricians)
- Production and Maintenance Engineering
- Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Engineering
- Geoscience Engineering (seismic, geophysics, wellsite geology)
- Digitization and Digitalization (AI, ML, IoT, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Drones)
Training Opportunities for Nigerian Youth
Ogbe explained that the program aligns with Section 10(1b) of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, which mandates that Nigerians be given first consideration for training and employment in industry operations.
The training is open to participants below 35 years of age who hold OND, HND, or B.Sc. degrees in disciplines such as Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Civil, Gas, Welding and Metallurgy, Geology, Geophysics, Computer Science, or related fields.
Registration will be conducted through nogicjqs.gov.ng, where applicants must update their academic records and select up to three preferred skill areas. Candidates with complete profiles can proceed directly to register for the program.
Hands-On Training and Industry Partnerships
Providing further details, Engr. Bamidele Abayomi, NCDMB’s Director of Capacity Building, said the skill-gap closure program would run over a two- to three-year period, with ongoing reviews to assess progress and adjust skill priorities as needed.
Each training phase will include four core components:
- Classroom learning
- Laboratory and workshop practicals
- Skills certification
- Six months of on-the-job training (OJT) with industry partners
At least three service companies will partner with NCDMB for each skill area, while HSE and soft skills training will be delivered by accredited OGTAN training providers. Trainees will receive monthly stipends, PPE, insurance, and pre-mobilization medicals.
Graduates deemed competent and “field-ready” will be added to NCDMB’s national skills database for possible recruitment by operating and service companies in compliance with the NOGICD Act.
Driving the Renewed Hope Agenda
The announcement comes on the heels of several major investment approvals, including the US$2 billion HI Field Gas Project by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) and Sunlink Energies (October 2025), the US$550 million UBETA Gas Project by TotalEnergies (September 2024), and the US$5 billion Bonga North Deepwater Project (December 2024).
According to NCDMB, these projects are direct results of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s three Presidential Directives issued in March 2024 to accelerate industry growth and unlock investment under his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Engr. Ogbe reaffirmed that the HCD initiative reflects NCDMB’s commitment to ensuring Nigerians occupy key roles in the industry’s next growth phase. “Our goal is to make Nigerian youth employable, competitive, and ready for the field — not just in Nigeria, but globally,” he said.
