Nigeria’s oil and gas sector requires more research and homegrown solutions to address persistent challenges such as oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and declining production.
This was the position of PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, during a visit to the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Kaduna.
Osifo stressed that the development of any nation depends on the strength of its human capital, urging more investment in research to solve the sector’s pressing challenges.
Over the years, the Federal government through the Petroleum Trust Development Fund(PTDF) has sponsored more than fifteen thousand Nigerians for training both within and outside the country.
However, the rising cost of foreign exchange has made overseas training increasingly expensive.
With the establishment of the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, officials say more Nigerians can now be trained locally, cutting costs while boosting local expertise.
The Executive Secretary of the PTDF, Ahmed Galadima, said the institution is committed to strengthening Nigeria’s local content capacity through research and training aimed at driving national development.
Discussions also highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between the petroleum industry and the academia to tackle persistent challenges in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
(Editor: Oloyede Oworu)
