Nigeria needs an estimated $6 billion funding in oil and fuel equipment to achieve its manufacturing goal of three million barrels per day, whereas an escalating mind drain threatens the provision of expert professionals wanted to function the belongings, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has noticed.
PETAN President, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya, disclosed this at a media roundtable in Lagos, the place he known as for aggressive funding in equipment, technical training and human capability growth to maintain the expansion of the oil and fuel business.
He warned that skilled Nigerian professionals have been more and more being recruited by oil-producing international locations, together with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, making a manpower hole that would undermine the nation’s manufacturing ambitions.
“The best of our experienced Nigerians in the oil and gas industry are being recruited by Qatar, Saudi and others for their industry. This poaching is creating a huge gap that needs to be filled. It clearly shows that those countries too need them,” he mentioned.
Ogunsanya linked the problem partly to the divestment of worldwide oil corporations (IOCs) from onshore belongings, noting that the multinationals had traditionally performed a major function in coaching Nigeria’s main oil and fuel professionals.
According to him, lots of the business’s skilled personnel acquired their experience by way of coaching and employment with worldwide operators.
“If you do a head count of top fliers in the industry, in every 10, about eight of them were once trained by the IOCs. Now that the multinationals are divesting, who takes charge?” he requested.
He urged indigenous corporations buying divested belongings to set up complete coaching programmes to develop the subsequent technology of Nigerian engineers, technicians and different specialised professionals.
The PETAN president harassed that Nigeria had adequate younger expertise to replenish the business’s workforce, however known as for deliberate efforts to entice graduates into oil and fuel careers and equip them with sensible expertise.
“The issue is not that we don’t have young graduates that can be in the oil and gas industry. The issue is how do we get these young graduates to come into the industry,” he mentioned.
He challenged corporations taking up belongings beforehand operated by IOCs to show what programmes they’d launched to practice and put together new entrants for the sector.
Ogunsanya emphasised that funding in equipment should go hand in hand with manpower growth, warning that the nation might wrestle to maintain greater manufacturing if it lacked certified personnel to function, keep and handle its services.
He, nevertheless, expressed confidence within the progress made by indigenous oilfield service corporations, saying native companies had developed capabilities throughout totally different segments of the service worth chain.
According to him, their rising experience and aggressive pricing have diminished the necessity for international corporations to dominate the oil companies market.
“We are providing services that are cheaper and of high quality,” he mentioned.
He additionally recommended the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for supporting indigenous capability by way of its one per cent funding mechanism for equipment acquisition.
Ogunsanya cited the WalterSmith modular refinery for example of the advantages of native content material interventions, noting that continued help would assist Nigerian corporations broaden their capabilities.
He mentioned sustaining the positive factors would require entry to fashionable equipment, reasonably priced financing, a supportive enterprise setting and constant funding in technical training, vocational coaching and information switch.
Also talking, PETAN Publicity Secretary, Dr. Joan Faluyi, mentioned growing Nigerian technical capability should stay central to discussions in regards to the business’s future.
She defined that indigenous capability concerned having engineers remedy complicated issues, technicians keep important equipment and fabricators ship tasks safely, reliably and competitively.
Faluyi mentioned stronger native participation might enhance employment, enhance expertise and enhance the worth Nigeria retains from its petroleum sources.
She urged stakeholders to take into account how funding might create extra alternatives for succesful Nigerian corporations, strengthen their technical experience and supply younger individuals with sensible expertise to construct lasting careers within the sector.
She described the roundtable as a possibility to enhance understanding between the oil and fuel business and the media, stressing the significance of mutual respect and impartial judgment.
UPDATE NEWS:
Nigerians can now make investments ₦2.5 million on premium domains and revenue about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than surprise,
click here to find out how it works.
