Apply Now: FG to Train 10,000 Nigerian Youths in High-Paying, Critical Oil and Gas Skills
- NCDMB has launched a major national training initiative to equip over 10,000 young Nigerians with vital technical and digital skills for the oil and gas sector
- The programme focuses on 10 high-demand disciplines, including subsea engineering, automation, underwater welding, and artificial intelligence
- Participants will undergo classroom instruction, practical training, and six months of field experience with partner service companies across Nigeria
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has launched an ambitious Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Programme designed to equip over 10,000 young Nigerians with high-demand technical skills needed in the energy sector.
The initiative aims to strengthen local participation in new and ongoing oil and gas projects while closing the persistent skill gaps in key operational areas.
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NCDMB launches strategic skills development drive
According to the NCDMB executive secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the programme was developed after careful review of expatriate quota applications submitted by industry operators.
It identifies critical technical roles where Nigerian professionals remain underrepresented.
The skill areas, Premium Times reported, were also validated through consultations with the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), and Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS).
Ogbe said the training would focus on ten core disciplines, including subsea engineering, underwater welding, control and automation, geoscience, production and maintenance, quality assurance, and digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics.
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The programme, he explained, aligns with Section 10(1b) of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, which prioritises Nigerians for training and employment opportunities within the sector.
Training targets young graduates and technicians
The Board stated that participation is open to candidates under 35 years old who hold OND, HND, or BSc qualifications in petroleum, mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, or related sciences.
Applicants are to register on the Nigerian Content Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS) portal, where they can choose up to three preferred skill areas.
NCDMB’s Director of Capacity Building, Bamidele Abayomi, said the two-to-three-year programme will be executed through a mix of classroom sessions, practical workshops, certifications, and six months of on-the-job training in collaboration with partner service companies.
He added that at least three companies will support each skill area, with trainees receiving safety certifications and soft skills training from accredited OGTAN providers.
Abayomi explained that participants will receive medical screenings, stipends, insurance coverage, and personal protective equipment during the programme.
Graduates deemed competent will be added to NCDMB’s national skills database for employment referrals to service and operating companies.
The initiative follows several recent multi-billion-dollar oil and gas projects, including Shell’s $2 billion HI Field Gas Project and TotalEnergies’ $550 million UBETA Gas Project.
These developments, NCDMB said, have revived investor confidence and created demand for a technically skilled workforce capable of supporting local content growth.
Ogbe added that the Board’s interventions are part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the government’s goal of building a $1 trillion economy.
He noted that by expanding Nigeria’s technical workforce and improving the competitiveness of indigenous professionals, the country can sustain the momentum of its oil and gas reforms and increase local ownership of key projects.
FG launches new online portal to provide free loans
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Federal Government had officially opened the application portal for YouthCred, a new initiative that provides Nigerian youths, especially NYSC members and young entrepreneurs, access to loans without the usual hurdles of collateral or a long credit history.
The programme, powered by the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CrediCorp), is part of a broader move to transform Nigeria’s credit culture and financially empower the next generation.
Source: Legit.ng
