Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has reaffirmed that human capital remains the most valuable resource of the oil and gas industry, even as it was named Government Partner of the Year at the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria, OGTAN, 4th Annual Human Capital Development Awards in Lagos.
Receiving the award on Friday, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the recognition was not just for the Board but for all Nigerians who share the vision of building an industry anchored on skills and knowledge.
“This honour is not just a recognition of NCDMB as an institution; it is a celebration of the vision, resilience and collective efforts of all our partners, stakeholders and indeed every Nigerian who believes in the power of human capital to transform industries and nations,” Ogbe said.
Represented at the event by the General Manager, Human Capital Development, Esueme Dan Kikile, the Executive Secretary stressed that infrastructure and technology, though vital, could never replace people.
“People are the true drivers of productivity, innovation and economic sustainability,” Ogbe declared.
He highlighted NCDMB’s capacity-building milestones, including over 10 million training man-hours delivered to more than 9,000 Nigerians across technical areas critical to the oil and gas sector.
He also announced new interventions, such as the Nigerian Content Trainers Registration Certification to standardise training and eliminate quacks, and the Top Ten/Top Twenty Skills Gap Programme, designed to close priority skill gaps in the short, medium and long term.
“Training will no longer be for the sake of training; it will be strategically aligned to industry needs,” Ogbe assured.
Ogbe further pointed to initiatives such as the Back to the Creeks Programme, which reorients Niger Delta adolescents with employable skills, and the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System, NOGIC JQS, which connects Nigerian professionals and businesses to opportunities through a robust skills database.
Commending OGTAN for its role in professional training, Ogbe recalled that the association was established in 2010 under NCDMB’s guidance.
“Your dedication to building industry-ready professionals has been invaluable and this award is as much a tribute to your efforts as it is to ours. Together, we will continue to equip Nigerians with the skills, knowledge and confidence required in shaping Africa’s energy future.”
In his welcome remarks, OGTAN President, Chris Osarumwense, emphasised that “human capacity development remains the backbone of Nigeria’s energy future.”
Similarly, the association’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Sam Onyechi, described NCDMB’s recognition as “fitting,” given its unwavering support for programmes that bridge critical skill gaps.
Former OGTAN President, Dr. Mayowa Afe, added his voice, urging the industry to sustain people-driven initiatives.
“Like the NCDMB Executive Secretary said, we are building people who are going to build this industry,” Afe noted.
“Training must be seen not as a cost but as an investment that pays long-term dividends for businesses and the economy.”
