From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
Spurred by the resurgence of big-ticket investments and new projects in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has unveiled a special Human Capital Development (HCD) Program that would train over 10,000 young graduates and technicians in top 10 high-demand skills in the sector.
Termed NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program, the intent is to prepare and equip the next generation of Nigerians with practical skills for top careers in the oil and gas industry and position them to take part actively in the oil and gas projects recently launched by some international and indigenous operating oil and gas companies.
Announcing the Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program on Friday, NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe confirmed that the Program will close skill gaps extracted from the review of applications for Expatriate Quotas by industry operators. The top career paths were equally identified from engagements with key industry stakeholders, including Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), and Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS).
NCDMB also relied on its knowledge of the portfolios of major upcoming projects and considered reports of previous skill gaps studies conducted by sister agencies like the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
The top-10 skills for the Field Readiness Program are: Sub-sea Engineers (wellheads, flowlines, umbilicals, sub-sea trees, etc.); Underwater Welders; Control and Automation Engineers (including cementing, well controls, and rig operations); Helicopter Pilots; Seamen/Sailors (including vessel mechanics/electricians); Production and Maintenance Engineers (Control Room Operators, Maintenance Crew); QA/QC Engineers (including NDT Levels 1,2, and 3); Geoscience Engineers (including Seismic, Geophysics, Wellsite Geology, etc.) and Digitization and Digitalization (AI, ML, IoT, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Drones, etc.)NCDMB efforts, Ogbe explained, is informed by Section 10(1b) of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, which stipulates that “Nigerians shall be given first consideration for training and employment in the work programme for which the Nigerian Content Plan was submitted by an industry operator.
”This program is only open to participants aged below 35 years, who possess OND/HND/BSC in Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Civil, Gas, Welding and Metallurgy. Other applicable fields are Geology, Geophysics, Computer Sciences/ Engineering and other science related disciplines.
Guidelines for participation are outlined below: 1. New individuals: create account on nogicjqs.gov.ng/accounts/login: update your profile and academic records, and complete the NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program Registration2.
Individuals with incomplete profile on nogicjqs.gov.ng/accounts/login: update your profile and academic records and proceed to register for the NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program.3. Individuals with complete profile on nogicjqs.gov.ng/accounts/login: proceed to register for the NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program.
Individuals can only select maximum of three (03) skills under the program in the order of their preferred priority.Providing further guidance, NCDMB’s Director of Capacity Building, Engr. Bamidele Abayomi explained that the skills gap closure program would be implemented over a two-to-three-year period, during which the gaps would be re-assessed to ascertain if the top 10 skills should be adjusted or continued.
He confirmed that most of the skills gap closure will be for a minimum of 12 months, while some will be for longer durations.
The program will have four key segments, namely, classroom training, laboratory/workshop practicals, skills certifications, with emphasis on hands-on work experience, which will entail a minimum of six months on-the-job-training (OJT) carried out in partnership with service companies to impart necessary skills on participants and make them field-ready.
He announced that at least three service companies will partner the Board for each of the skill area and HSE certifications, while the soft skills will be delivered by anchor trainers and OGTAN registered training providers.
Trainees that complete the program and assessed as competent and field-ready shall be included in the Board’s skills database for circulation to service and operating companies in fulfilment of the NOGICD Act.
He assured that participants will be provided with pre-mobilization medicals, monthly stipends, PPEs, and requisite insurance coverage to ensure they are well-supported and can focus on learning.
The October 14, 2025 announcement of Final Investment Decision (FID) on US$2 billion HI Field Gas Project by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), and Sunlink Energies and Resources Limited, was the latest in a portfolio of new mega projects, following US$550 million UBETA Gas Project by Total Energies, launched in September 2024, and Bonga North Deepwater, worth US$5 billion, announced by SNEPCO in December 2024.
The already announced projects and others in the funnel are direct outcomes of the three Presidential Directives (PD) pronounced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the oil and gas industry in March 2024.
The Directives were accelerated by the revised and fast-tracked Nigerian Content Contracting Guidelines deployed by the NCDMB, which is unlocking long delayed major investments, helping to actualize Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda Economic blueprint towards a US$1trillion economy.
