– Advocates human capital development to secure oil and gas future
Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists, NAPE, has commended the Nigerian government for its recent energy policies, which, the association said, have attracted investments into the oil and gas industry and boosted oil production.
This recognition was given by NAPE President, Mr. Johnbosco Uche, during a courtesy visit to the Special Adviser on Energy to the President, Mrs. Olu Verheijen.
During the visit, NAPE emphasised the need for human capital development to secure the future of the oil and gas industry.
The association stressed the importance of training Nigerian graduates to replace the aging workforce. NAPE highlighted its contributions in this regard, including donating workstations to Nigerian universities and training university lecturers and students.
Furthermore, the association urged the government to provide additional incentives to encourage targeted gas exploration while addressing barriers to development and production, enabling Nigeria to achieve its potential as Africa’s leading gas producer.
In his remarks, Mr. Uche pledged to leverage NAPE’s platform, which boasts a membership strength of over 12,000, to communicate the progress being made in Nigeria’s energy sector. He also committed to offering insights and expertise to support the discovery of more oil and gas resources.
In response, Mrs. Verheijen acknowledged NAPE’s significant contributions to the industry and outlined government initiatives aimed at attracting investments, developing unappraised discoveries, and increasing production. She highlighted recent Final Investment Decisions, FIDs, worth over $5 billion as evidence of the success of these initiatives.
She also expressed support for human capital development, noting that the government is collaborating with relevant agencies to establish local training centers.
Mrs. Verheijen concluded by inviting NAPE to continue its partnership with the government to advance the industry and drive sustainable growth.
