Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — In a renewed drive to deepen local content and enhance youth employability in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has concluded a specialised training program on CCTV and Fire Alarm Systems, equipping 50 Nigerian youths with practical technical skills for immediate industry deployment and entrepreneurship.
The close-out ceremony held in Egbokodo, Warri, Delta State, marked another milestone in NCDMB’s human capacity development mandate, aimed at promoting technical proficiency and sustainable empowerment within host communities.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, who was represented by Dr. Abraham Apereseimokomo Alfred, Supervisor, Strategy and Transformation Project/Board Projects, commended the trainees for their discipline and dedication throughout the programme.
“This training is a strategic investment in our young people. We are committed to ensuring that Nigerian youths acquire not just knowledge, but hands-on skills that can create jobs, sustain livelihoods, and strengthen local participation in the oil and gas value chain.”
He noted that the training reflects the Board’s consistent focus on developing human capacity as a key pillar of the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap, which seeks to achieve 70 percent in-country value retention by 2027.
“Our objective is not only to build competencies but to empower these trainees to become employers of labour. With the right skills and mindset, they can support the industry’s safety infrastructure through CCTV and fire alarm installation, while also offering their services commercially.”
Each of the 50 beneficiaries received a comprehensive start-up toolkit to aid immediate practice and self-reliance after the training.
The kits include modern CCTV and fire alarm installation equipment to enable the participants to apply their new skills either as entrepreneurs or skilled technicians within the oil and gas ecosystem.
The CCTV and Fire Alarm Systems training is part of NCDMB’s wider capacity-building portfolio, which has trained thousands of Nigerians across various technical disciplines, including welding, marine operations, ICT, and industrial automation.
The Board continues to partner with industry stakeholders and training institutions to ensure skill alignment with industry demand and global best practices.
“Local content development goes beyond policies and regulations. It is about creating tangible impact, empowering real people with real skills that make a difference.”
Dr. Alfred, who presented the certificates and start-up packages on behalf of the Executive Secretary, charged the graduates to be ambassadors of excellence in their future engagements.
“You have been equipped with a skill set that is relevant, marketable, and in demand,” he told the trainees. “We expect you to deploy it responsibly, contribute to national productivity and help expand the frontiers of local content.”
The event concluded with the presentation of certificates and starter kits to the beneficiaries amid cheers and gratitude from participants, who lauded NCDMB for giving them what many described as “a life-changing opportunity.”
“Before now, I had no clear career direction,” said one of the beneficiaries, Kingsley Akpobome. “Today, I can install and maintain CCTV and fire alarm systems professionally. I’m confident that this skill will open doors for me.”
