By Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
In a significant step toward building Nigeria’s oil and gas workforce, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited kicked off an intensive three-month Advanced Nigerian Content Human Capital Development (NC-HCD) Programme for 140 graduates in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The initiative, tied to the $10 billion NLNG Train 7 Project on Bonny Island, Rivers State, focuses on hands-on training in critical industry operations.
The trainees, having completed a 12-month foundational programme in various oil and gas skills, will now engage in practical, on-the-job training in areas like Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), Commissioning, and Desktop Programmes.
This follows the training of 331 Batch A trainees in November 2024, who developed expertise in facility management, engineering, ICT, HSE, quality assurance, and welding, and 77 Batch B trainees, who focused on data analytics and supply chain management.
Speaking at the event, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by Mrs. Tarilate Teide-Bribena, emphasized the programme’s role in shaping world-class Nigerian professionals.
He highlighted that over 400 Nigerians have been trained in technical and vocational skills tailored to industry demands, with the current cohort gaining real-world experience at NLNG’s Bonny Island facilities.
Ogbe praised NLNG’s commitment to national capacity building and acknowledged the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) for aligning training with industry needs, ensuring graduates are job-ready.
NLNG’s General Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, underscored the collaboration’s success in fostering a skilled workforce, critical as the Train 7 Project, which employs advanced technology, reaches 80% completion following its Final Investment Decision in December 2019.
Engr. Dagogo Buowari, NLNG’s Nigerian Content Manager, urged the trainees to stay focused during their three-month stint, set to begin June 16, 2025, and expressed optimism about the programme’s lasting impact on the industry.
