38 Young Nigerians Begin Drilling Engineering Field-Readiness Programme as NCDMB Calls for Innovation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38 Young Nigerians Begin Drilling Engineering Field-Readiness Programme as NCDMB Calls for Innovation

....NCDMB, Oando Energy Resources and Hilong Oil Service Partner to Build Next Generation of Nigerian Oil and Gas Professionals.

By Hypenews Report

Thirty-eight young Nigerian graduates in engineering and geosciences have commenced a 12-month Nigerian Content Human Capacity Development (NC-HCD) Training Programme designed to equip them with specialised skills in drilling engineering, well operations and related oil and gas services.

The programme formally commenced on Friday in Port Harcourt under the Provision of Turnkey Joint Venture (JV) Services for Workover and Recompletion of Obiafu 44 Well, located within the Obiafu-Obrikom Field, Oil Mining Lease (OML) 61, in the Niger Delta.

The initiative is being delivered by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in partnership with Oando Energy Resources Nigeria Limited, Hilong Oil Service and Engineering Nigeria Limited, and training partner D’ARK Global Resources Limited.

The 12-month field-readiness programme is structured into six months of intensive classroom-based training followed by six months of on-the-job practical training, providing participants with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on industry experience.

The technical curriculum covers Basic Drilling Engineering Operations, Well Planning and Design, Measurement While Drilling (MWD), Logging While Drilling (LWD), Drilling Rig Operations, and Well Logs Data Analytics, incorporating both theoretical and practical components.

Participants will also receive training in critical complementary skills, including Entrepreneurship and Business Management, Computer Applications and Microsoft Office 365, designed to enhance their professional effectiveness and employability.

Delivering the keynote address at the commencement ceremony, the General Manager, Human Capacity Development (HCD), NCDMB, Ms. Alexis Emelle, described the programme as an important opportunity for participants to develop specialised expertise in an industry where precision, discipline, professionalism and accountability are essential.

She noted that the competencies being developed through the programme are critical to the safe, efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible operation of Nigeria's oil and gas industry.

Beyond technical competence, Emelle said the programme was designed to instil professionalism, discipline, problem-solving abilities, teamwork and a strong safety culture among the beneficiaries.

She urged the trainees to recognise that the modern oil and gas industry requires professionals who can innovate, solve complex problems and be entrusted with critical responsibilities.

According to her, qualities such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, adaptability and a commitment to continuous learning remain highly valued across the industry.

Emelle described the programme as a deliberate investment in the beneficiaries and an expression of confidence in their potential to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria's oil and gas sector.

She commended Oando Energy Resources for its partnership and commitment to Nigerian Content development, noting that the company's support was helping to shape technical capability, build professional confidence and strengthen the future workforce of the industry.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Manager, Nigerian Content Division of Oando Energy Resources, Mr. Deji Agboola, challenged the beneficiaries to fully appreciate the significance of the opportunity before them.

Agboola explained that Human Capacity Development is an important component of the Federal Government's strategy to reduce capital flight and increase Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry.

He recalled that Nigeria had historically relied heavily on expatriate personnel for specialised industry operations, resulting in significant financial resources leaving the country.

He therefore described the collaboration between NCDMB, Oando and Hilong as an opportunity for the beneficiaries to contribute to reversing that trend.

“NCDMB, Oando and Hilong have given you an opportunity to help Nigeria,” he said, stressing that the trainees now carried an enormous responsibility to contribute to the country's industrial development.

He urged the participants to approach the programme with seriousness, discipline and a strong sense of national responsibility.

Speaking on the project, the General Manager of Hilong Oil Service and Engineering Nigeria Limited, Mr. Thompson Wealth, explained that the NC-HCD programme was directly connected to the company's execution of the Provision of Turnkey Joint Venture Services for Workover and Recompletion of Obiafu 44 Well.

Wealth encouraged the trainees to give their best throughout the programme, assuring them that the knowledge and experience acquired would prove valuable to their professional careers.

He further disclosed that outstanding participants could potentially attract employment interest from the company.

“At the end of this training programme, I assure you that even us [Hilong Oil Service] will be interested in you,” he told the trainees.

His remarks underscored the practical employment and career-development opportunities that can emerge from industry-linked Human Capacity Development initiatives.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Zonal Secretary of the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN), Engr. Chika Chinwa, confirmed that D’ARK Global Resources Limited, the training organisation, is a member of the Association.

Chinwa expressed confidence in the capacity of the training organisation to deliver the programme and meet the expectations of the participating institutions and beneficiaries.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Adanma Chika of D’ARK Global Resources Limited expressed appreciation to NCDMB, Oando Energy Resources and Hilong Oil Service and Engineering Nigeria Limited for making the training initiative possible.

She encouraged the 38 beneficiaries to regard the programme not merely as a training exercise but as an investment in their professional futures.

She urged them to take full advantage of the classroom instruction, practical exposure and industry experience that the programme offers.

The commencement of the NC-HCD programme represents another step towards strengthening Nigeria's indigenous technical capacity and ensuring that more Nigerians are equipped to undertake specialised roles across the oil and gas value chain.

By combining classroom education with practical, on-the-job experience, the initiative is expected to provide participants with industry-relevant competencies that can support their transition into professional drilling and well-services careers.

Hypenews Report gathered that for the 38 young graduates, the 12-month programme offers more than technical training. It represents an opportunity to develop the expertise, professional discipline and practical experience required to participate meaningfully in the future of Nigeria's energy industry.

As Nigeria continues to deepen local participation and build domestic technical capacity, programmes such as this demonstrate the growing importance of human capital development, industry collaboration and practical skills acquisition in achieving sustainable Nigerian Content development.

Hypenews Report