Oil & Energy

NCDMB Partner Renaissance To Train 300 Youths On oil, gas Skills

Published

3 months ago

July 20, 2026

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in partnership with Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, has commenced a 12-month Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Programme for 300 young Nigerians to equip them with technical and professional skills for careers in the petroleum industry.

The programme, which targets graduates in mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering, comprises three months of classroom instruction and nine months of on-the-job training, partnering with oil and gas service companies.

According to a statement made available to our correspondent on Saturday and signed by the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Dr Obinna Ezeobi, the 300 participants selected through a competitive process, 240 will undergo training in Lagos, while 60 will be trained in Port Harcourt.

Speaking at the programme’s inauguration, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, said the initiative was in line with the Board’s mandate to build local capacity, deepen Nigerian participation in the oil and gas sector and create employment opportunity.

Represented by the Assistant Manager, Human Capacity Development, Tari Bufazi, Ogbe said the programme would provide participants with practical industry exposure and globally recognised certifications.

He said, “This is more than the commencement of a training programme. It is the beginning of a journey for young Nigerians who will acquire world-class skills in mechanical, instrumentation and electrical disciplines.”

Ogbe noted that specialised skills in automation, instrumentation and engineering operations remained critical to the safe and efficient exploitation of Nigeria’s petroleum resources, particularly as the industry prepares for fresh investments.

According to him, “Instrumentation, electrical and mechanical engineering are foundational to the survival, profitability and safety of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. This training is designed to close existing gaps and prepare participants for industry demands.”

He urged the trainees to maximise the opportunity, saying it had the potential to transform them into innovators, problem-solvers and future leaders in the industry.

Also speaking, the General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Olarenwaju Olawuyi, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to developing indigenous capacity through sustained investment in human capital.

Represented by Funso Alabi, Olawuyi said the programme would combine classroom learning with practical field experience in mechanical systems, electrical operations, instrumentation and control, software development, networking and cybersecurity.

He said, “At Renaissance, we believe local content development must create real capability, strengthen indigenous expertise and empower Nigerians to lead.”

Alabi added that the practical component of the programme would bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and workplace expectations.

He told the trainees, “Success requires not only technical competence but also professionalism, integrity, teamwork and a strong safety culture.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Radial Circle, the lead training provider, Ranti Omole, said the participants were selected from thousands of applicants drawn from the NCDMB database after a rigorous screening process.

Omole said the objective of the programme was to produce industry-ready professionals capable of making immediate contributions in operational environments.

He said, “We are building competence and skills. By the time you complete this programme, you should be field-ready and able to fit seamlessly into industry operations.”

Stakeholders at the event said the initiative supports the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act and the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap by strengthening the pool of skilled Nigerian professionals required to drive growth in the country’s energy sector.

Oil & Energy

15-Year Blackout: NDPHC Begins Electricity Project In Kaduna Community

Published

6 days ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

The Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) has commenced a major electricity project aimed at ending a 15-year blackout in Rigasa community, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The General Manager, Corporate Communication and External Relations, NDPHC, Nazo Agim, made this known in a statement, in Abuja, at the weekend.

Agim said that the project, facilitated by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG), comprises a two-kilometre 11kV line, a 1.5-kilometre 33kV line and a 7.5MVA, 33/11kV injection substation.Access Services

According to him, the project is designed to strengthen electricity distribution and improve power supply to residents and businesses in the community.

He said that the Rigasa project underscored NDPHC’s commitment to extending critical electricity infrastructure beyond generation to bridge distribution gaps.

He also said that the project would stimulate socioeconomic development and improve the quality of life in underserved communities across Nigeria.

Agim disclosed that a groundbreaking ceremony was performed earlier on Friday, by the Kaduna state Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, who represented Governor Uba Sani.

According to him, Balarabe, while speaking during the ceremony commended NDPHC for the intervention, describing it as a life-saving initiative that would address the community’s longstanding electricity challenges.

The NDPHC Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to addressing the community’s electricity challenges.

Represented by the Executive Director, Networks, Babayo Bello, Adighije also reiterated NDPHC’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s vision of improving electricity supply across the country.

She said that although NDPHC’s primary mandate was power generation, the company’s interventions also extended to transmission and distribution infrastructure to address critical gaps and expand electricity access.

According to her, the Rigasa project represents a worthwhile investment that will ease residents’ hardship and demonstrate the impact of targeted infrastructure development in underserved communities.Access Services

NDPHC Executive Director, Strategy and Commercial, Patrick Obahiagbon, commended the Kaduna state government and the community for their cooperation and support for the project.

The District Head of Rigasa, Mohammed Idris, also commended NDPHC’s management for its commitment to expanding electricity access in the community.

Oil & Energy

FG Commissions 640MW Transmission Capacity To National Grid

Published

6 days ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

As the federal government intensifies efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s power infrastructure, it has commissioned 640 megawatts (MW) of electricity transmission capacity to the national grid with an additional six transmission substations in Kano and Katsina states, respectively.

The projects comprise four substations at Walalambe, Kumbotso, Dakata and Dan-Agundi in Kano State, which collectively add 544MW of transmission capacity, and two 60 megavolt amperes (MVA) substations in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State, contributing another 96MW.

The additional capacity is expected to improve the transmission network’s ability to evacuate and deliver available electricity to distribution companies and consumers in the two states.

The Ministry of Power announced the developments in a statement issued at the weekend.

According to the statement, the additional capacity is expected to improve the transmission network’s ability to evacuate and deliver available electricity to distribution companies and consumers in the two states.

The projects, however, increase transmission capacity rather than electricity generation, implying that their impact on supply would depend partly on the availability of power from generating plants and the capacity of downstream distribution networks.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Kankia substation, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the projects reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving the country’s electricity infrastructure.

“Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda recognizes that economic ambition requires dependable infrastructure,” Tegbe said.

He added that investments in electricity infrastructure would strengthen the foundations for business expansion, employment and economic growth.

The Kankia substations comprise two 60 MVA, 132/33 kilovolt (kV) facilities designed to strengthen the transmission network serving Katsina State and neighbouring areas.

Tegbe said the infrastructure would improve the network’s ability to distribute available electricity, supporting commercial activities and household welfare.

He also urged residents to protect the facilities against vandalism and other activities that could disrupt electricity infrastructure, asking them to report suspicious activities to TCN or security agencies.

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, described the project as a significant investment in the state’s electricity infrastructure.

Radda stated that improved electricity supply could support industrial development, economic growth and public service delivery.

He further commended the President, the Federal Ministry of Power and TCN for completing the project.

It would be noted that the latest projects come amid a broader government’s drive to address bottlenecks in Nigeria’s electricity transmission network, which has constrained the amount of electricity that can be delivered to distribution companies and end users.

Oil & Energy

NBTI Unveils $600m Investment Pipeline Innovation

Published

6 days ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has unveiled an investment and development-finance pipeline exceeding $600 million, alongside a proposed solar energy programme targeting one million micro and small businesses across Nigeria.

The Director-General, NBTI, Dr Kazeem Raji, disclosed this while presenting the outcomes of the 2026 NextGen Innovation Challenge at a World Press Conference, Abuja.

Raji said the investment pipeline comprised a proposed $500m solar energy programme for universities and polytechnics, which would be developed in partnership with Gigawatt Global, and a $100m financing opportunity linked to the Tinubu Light Initiative under a memorandum of understanding with Financial Innovation for Impact, UK, also known as Cambridge Investors.

He, however, clarified that the funds had not been fully secured or disbursed, stressing that their realisation would depend on due diligence, financing arrangements, contractual commitments, regulatory approvals and implementation requirements.

“These figures represent proposed investment and financing opportunities and should not be interpreted as $600m already received, disbursed or fully deployed in Nigeria,” he said.

According to Raji, the initiative was designed to connect Nigerian innovators with international investors, business leaders and development partners to accelerate the commercialisation of indigenous technologies.

He said the challenge attracted 298 Nigerian innovators from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, up from 105 participants in 2025.

The innovations showcased covered artificial intelligence, robotics, agriculture, healthcare, education, renewable energy, telecommunications, digital technology, enterprise software, 3D printing and advanced manufacturing.

“Our message is straightforward: Nigeria’s innovators deserve visibility, our enterprises deserve opportunities to grow, and our technologies deserve pathways to the marketplace,” Raji said.

He added that NBTI’s priority was to move beyond showcasing ideas to helping innovators develop commercially viable products, establish sustainable businesses and create jobs.

The proposed Tinubu Light Initiative is expected to support one million micro and small businesses through access to solar energy solutions, with a proposed target of training and deploying 10,000 field marketers and creating 50,000 direct youth employment opportunities.

The initiative also targets N30bn in blended financing for its first phase and estimates annual economic benefits of about N12bn, subject to its underlying assumptions and implementation outcomes.

Raji said the programme was conceived to address the energy challenges facing small businesses, including high operating costs associated with unreliable electricity and dependence on petrol and diesel generators.

Tailors, barbers, hairdressers, pharmacies, food vendors, neighbourhood retailers, printing businesses and digital-service providers, he stated, are among the potential beneficiaries.

He said the initiative also envisaged opportunities to promote business formalisation and financial inclusion, particularly among informal enterprises, where appropriate arrangements could be established.

However, the NBTI director-general acknowledged that the programme’s success would depend on sound financing, transparent beneficiary selection, reliable equipment, maintenance arrangements and measurable delivery.

“Our vision is to make clean-energy access an enabler of enterprise development, not merely an infrastructure intervention,” he said.