RismadarVoice Business
September 18, 2026
The Federal Government has moved to strengthen Nigeria’s pool of skilled technical workers in the oil and gas industry, with plans to fully operationalise a specialised training centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, has inaugurated a committee to develop the operational framework and industry-focused curriculum for its Centre for Skills Development and Training, which is about 98 per cent complete.
PTDF Executive Secretary Shuaibu Aliyu said the centre was established following a skills audit that identified shortages of qualified Nigerian technical personnel, particularly in technical and middle-level occupations across the oil and gas industry.
The committee is expected to review the facility’s existing systems, identify operational gaps and recommend measures required to bring the centre into full use.
FOCUS ON PRACTICAL INDUSTRY SKILLS
The centre is designed to provide competency-based vocational training and internationally recognised certifications for technicians, artisans and craftsmen.
Training will cover welding and fabrication, electrical works, industrial safety, automobile maintenance and heavy-duty equipment maintenance, among other technical areas relevant to the energy industry.
The committee will develop curricula aligned with industry requirements and recommend training, assessment and certification systems.
It will also establish pathways for internships, apprenticeships, employment and entrepreneurship, while building partnerships with regulators, educational institutions, professional bodies, energy operators and service companies.
According to PTDF, the facility includes an administrative building, auditorium, library, hostels, staff quarters, canteen and supporting power and water infrastructure.
Although full operations have yet to commence, the centre has previously hosted activities connected with PTDF scholarship programmes and training organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement.
KACHIKWU HEADS COMMITTEE
Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, chairs the committee, which brings together representatives from industry, petroleum regulators, universities, technical education bodies and organised labour.
Participating organisations include the two petroleum regulatory commissions, the National Board for Technical Education, the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria, the Trade Union Congress, universities, Dangote Refinery and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group.
Kachikwu said technical skills development was important for economic growth, increased Nigerian participation in the energy value chain and Africa’s involvement in the global energy transition.
The committee is expected to produce an implementation framework covering timelines, responsibilities, performance indicators and reporting arrangements.
PTDF said the Port Harcourt facility forms part of its wider capacity-development programme aimed at building a technically competent Nigerian workforce capable of meeting changing manpower requirements in the petroleum and broader energy sectors.
