The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited have launched a 12-month technical training programme for 60 Nigerians to strengthen local engineering expertise, develop industrial skills and improve workforce participation in the oil and gas sector.
The programme, hosted at Nigeria Machine Tools Limited in Osogbo, Osun State, combines classroom instruction with supervised industrial experience to prepare participants for technical roles across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain and related manufacturing industries.
The initiative forms part of the Nigerian Content Human Capacity Development (NC HCD) Training Programme for Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited’s EPU Phase 2 Gas Development Project.
The training covers engineering design, fitter machining, conventional machine tool operations, programming, computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), electrical and mechanical maintenance, and document control.
Under the programme, participants will undertake six months of intensive classroom training, followed by six months of supervised on-the-job experience in reputable companies. Graduates are expected to receive internationally recognised certifications upon successful completion.
The initiative comes as Nigeria seeks to deepen local participation in the petroleum industry by developing the technical workforce required for engineering, equipment manufacturing, maintenance and gas infrastructure projects.
Under the programme, participants will undertake six months of intensive classroom training, followed by six months of supervised on-the-job experience in reputable companies. Graduates are expected to receive internationally recognised certifications upon successful completion.
The initiative comes as Nigeria seeks to deepen local participation in the petroleum industry by developing the technical workforce required for engineering, equipment manufacturing, maintenance and gas infrastructure projects.
NCDMB targets critical technical skills gaps
Speaking at the launch, NCDMB Director of Capacity Building, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, said the programme was designed to address technical manpower shortages and prepare Nigerians for meaningful participation across the oil and gas industry.
Bamidele, who was represented by Tare Bufazi, Assistant Manager, Human Capacity Development, said the 60 trainees comprised 33 graduates and 27 vocational trainees.
He explained that the initiative went beyond promoting Nigerian participation in the sector to building the practical capabilities required to sustain local content development and industrial growth.
According to him, human capacity development remains central to expanding employment opportunities, strengthening domestic technical expertise and supporting the Federal Government’s industrialisation objectives.
Bamidele urged participants to approach the programme with discipline and commitment, stressing that the value of the training would depend on their ability to translate classroom knowledge into practical workplace competence.
He also acknowledged the contributions of Renaissance Africa Energy, Seflam SGL and Nigeria Machine Tools Limited to the initiative.
Renaissance reinforces local workforce development
Representing Renaissance Africa Energy, Richard Oyiborhor, Interface and Integration Manager for the NLNG Supply Project, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to developing Nigerian talent and strengthening indigenous technical capabilities.
Oyiborhor commended the NCDMB for its efforts to advance Nigerian content and described collaboration among the participating organisations as important to building a skilled industrial workforce.
The partnership brings together industry stakeholders and a domestic machine tools institution to provide training that reflects the technical requirements of engineering and industrial operations.
For Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, such programmes can help expand the pool of locally trained personnel available for equipment fabrication, plant maintenance, engineering services and other specialised activities.
Developing these skills could also help Nigerian companies compete for technical contracts and reduce reliance on expatriate expertise in areas where qualified local professionals can be trained and deployed.
Seflam SGL highlights long-term investment in skills
Bisola Agboluaje, Senior Manager, Business Interface at Seflam SGL, congratulated the trainees and said the programme originated in 2024, when the NCDMB approved the training plans.
She described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s technical talent pool, highlighting the importance of sustained cooperation between regulators, energy companies and training institutions.
The programme’s combination of classroom instruction and workplace experience is intended to help participants acquire both technical knowledge and practical exposure to industrial operating environments.
The expected certifications could further strengthen graduates’ professional credentials, although their value will depend on the awarding bodies, industry recognition and the competencies demonstrated by participants.
Nigeria Machine Tools supports industrial skills development
Nigeria Machine Tools Limited Chief Operating Officer, Obehi Ojeagha, welcomed the trainees and commended the organisations involved in the programme.
She highlighted the institution’s 46-year history of supporting Nigeria’s industrial development and expressed confidence that the participants would acquire the technical skills, discipline and experience required to contribute to the oil and gas industry.
The involvement of Nigeria Machine Tools also links the training initiative to the wider manufacturing sector, where machining, computer-aided production and equipment maintenance skills are essential.
Beyond petroleum operations, these competencies can be applied in engineering workshops, industrial production, equipment servicing and other manufacturing activities.
Local content depends on measurable skills and employment outcomes
Nigeria’s local content policy seeks to increase the participation of Nigerian workers and businesses in the oil and gas industry. Achieving that objective requires more than local ownership or employment targets; it also depends on the availability of qualified personnel and competitive domestic service providers.
The 60-person programme represents a targeted intervention in technical workforce development. Its broader impact will depend on how effectively the training translates into recognised qualifications, job placements and sustained employment.
Tracking the number of trainees who complete the programme, obtain relevant certifications and secure technical positions would provide a clearer measure of its contribution to local content development.
For Renaissance Africa Energy and other industry operators, partnerships that build local technical capacity can help strengthen the domestic supply chain while expanding employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
The programme therefore represents an investment in the skills infrastructure needed to support Nigeria’s oil and gas projects, industrial development and broader ambitions to retain more technical value within the domestic eco
