The NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program opens.

Fueled by a wave of substantial investments and fresh initiatives in Nigeria’s oil and gas landscape, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has introduced a targeted Human Capital Development (HCD) initiative aimed at preparing more than 10,000 young graduates and technicians across the sector’s ten most sought-after competencies.

Dubbed the NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program, this effort seeks to arm the upcoming workforce with actionable expertise, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to recently initiated ventures by both global and local oil and gas operators.

During the program’s launch on Friday, NCDMB Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe noted that the selected competencies stem from an analysis of Expatriate Quota applications submitted by operators. These priorities were further refined through consultations with prominent industry groups such as the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), and the Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS). The Board also drew on its familiarity with forthcoming large-scale developments and insights from prior skill assessments carried out by organizations like the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

The program’s core ten competencies include: Subsea Engineers (covering wellheads, flowlines, umbilicals, subsea trees, and related systems); Underwater Welders; Control and Automation Engineers (encompassing cementing, well controls, and rig operations); Helicopter Pilots; Seamen and Sailors (including vessel mechanics and electricians); Production and Maintenance Engineers (such as control room operators and maintenance teams); QA/QC Engineers (with NDT Levels 1, 2, and 3); Geoscience Engineers (involving seismic analysis, geophysics, wellsite geology, and similar areas); and Digitization and Digitalization Specialists (focusing on AI, machine learning, IoT, big data, cloud computing, drones, and emerging technologies).

Ogbe emphasized that the initiative aligns with Section 10(1b) of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, which mandates priority for Nigerian citizens in training and employment opportunities outlined in operators’ Nigerian Content Plans.

Entry is restricted to Nigerian applicants under 35 years of age holding an OND, HND, or BSc in fields like Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Civil, or Gas Engineering, as well as Welding and Metallurgy. Relevant qualifications also extend to Geology, Geophysics, Computer Science or Engineering, and other science-based disciplines.

Application steps are as follows:

1. First-time users: Register an account at nogicjqs.gov.ng/accounts/login, fill in profile details and educational history, then submit the NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program form.
2. Users with partial profiles at nogicjqs.gov.ng/accounts/login: Complete any missing information, including academics, before advancing to program registration.
3. Users with fully updated profiles at nogicjqs.gov.ng/accounts/login: Move directly to the NCDMB Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Program registration.

Applicants may prioritize up to three competencies in order of preference.

NCDMB Director of Capacity Building Engr. Bamidele Abayomi provided additional details, stating that the skill-building effort will span two to three years, with periodic reviews to determine if the priority list requires updates or extensions.

Most training modules will last at least 12 months, though some may extend further. The curriculum comprises four main phases: theoretical classroom sessions, hands-on laboratory and workshop exercises, professional certifications, and a strong focus on practical exposure through a minimum six-month on-the-job training (OJT) component. This OJT will be conducted in collaboration with service providers to ensure trainees gain authentic field experience and achieve operational readiness.

For each competency, the Board will collaborate with a minimum of three service companies, alongside HSE certification partners. Soft skills components will be handled by lead instructors and providers accredited by the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN).

Upon successful completion and competency verification, graduates will be added to NCDMB’s talent registry and shared with operating and service firms to support NOGICD Act compliance.

To facilitate undivided focus, trainees will receive pre-deployment health checks, regular monthly allowances, personal protective equipment (PPE), and full insurance protection.

The program’s timing coincides with a series of landmark project announcements, including the October 14, 2025 Final Investment Decision (FID) for the US$2 billion HI Field Gas Project by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) in partnership with Sunlink Energies and Resources Limited. This follows the US$550 million UBETA Gas Project greenlit by TotalEnergies in September 2024 and the US$5 billion Bonga North Deepwater development revealed by SNEPCo in December 2024.

These developments, along with others in the pipeline, trace back to three Presidential Directives issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March 2024 for the oil and gas sector. Their progress has been accelerated by NCDMB’s streamlined Nigerian Content Contracting Guidelines, which are clearing longstanding investment hurdles and advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda’s vision of a US$1 trillion national economy.