The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has issued a stern warning regarding the country’s growing technical skills and workforce gap in the energy sector, cautioning that urgent interventions are necessary to protect Nigeria's energy future. Speaking at the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) HCD Conference and Expo in Warri, Delta State, NNPC Limited’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Kazachiyang Nuhu, emphasized that a convergence of market shifts, the Petroleum Industry Act, the Decade of Gas, increased local operator participation, and the global transition toward cleaner energy are collectively driving an unprecedented demand for specialized technical talent that the country currently struggles to meet.
Nuhu highlighted several critical obstacles fueling this crisis, including an expanding disconnect between academic curricula and real-world field requirements for entry-level workers. This disconnect is further compounded by an aging workforce, severe talent loss due to emigration commonly referred to as "japa" and accelerated skill cycles brought on by automation, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. At the same time, capital is rapidly shifting toward cleaner energy forms and liquefied natural gas, leaving traditional operations vulnerable alongside persistent operational challenges like pipeline vandalism, crude theft, aging infrastructure, and project delays.
To overcome these hurdles, NNPC is advocating for a fundamental transformation in how human capital development is structured. Rather than relying on generic, outdated training manuals, Nuhu stressed the need for practical, field-tested programs backed by modern technologies like simulators, digital twins, virtual reality, and AI. Moving forward, NNPC plans to strictly partner with training providers who align with future industry trends rather than past practices.
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In tandem with these operational shifts, NNPC called for redefining how "local content" success is measured, shifting the focus from standard hiring percentages to the actual depth of technical expertise acquired by Nigerians to lead world-class projects. Supporting this message, OGTAN President Chris Osarunmewense reinforced that closing the national skills gap cannot be achieved in isolation, urging unified, cross-sector collaboration among government bodies, industry regulators, operating companies, and educational institutions to secure the workforce of tomorrow.
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