NNPC warns of widening energy skills gap in Nigeria

Kazachiyang Nuhu, Chief Human Resources Officer at NNPC Limited, stated that the Petroleum Industry Act, the Decade of Gas initiative, increased participation by local operators, and the global energy transition are all contributing to a demand for technical talent that the industry is struggling to develop quickly enough. Speaking at the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria OGTAN HCD Conference and Expo in Warri, Delta State, Nuhu emphasized that the evolving energy landscape, influenced by policy, market shifts, technology, and changing expectations of younger workers, has created a technical talent demand that Nigeria cannot afford to ignore. He warned that without urgent reskilling and repositioning of the workforce, Nigeria could lose its ability to effectively participate in the emerging energy economy.

Nuhu identified workforce and skills gaps, an aging workforce, and brain drain as major challenges. He also highlighted a growing disconnect between academia and industry, and issues such as weak safety culture, crude theft, and aging assets. Nuhu stressed that the solution requires a fundamental shift in human capital development, with training more closely linked to production, safety, reliability, and cost, and based on curre