Oando trains young Nigerians on drilling - Punch Newspapers

Oando Energy Resources Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Oando Plc, has commenced a 12-month drilling engineering training programme for young Nigerians. The programme, being implemented in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and Hilong Oil Service & Engineering Nigeria Limited, commenced on September 4, 2026, in Port Harcourt. According to a statement made available to Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the human capacity development programme is designed to equip participants with specialised drilling skills and practical experience needed to support the safe, efficient and sustainable operation of oil and gas assets. The statement said the programme would combine classroom instruction with structured on-the-job training, with participants expected to gain exposure to the practical demands of drilling and other petroleum operations. It added that the initiative was aimed at developing a pipeline of Nigerian technical professionals who could support the growing responsibilities of indigenous companies in the industry. According to the statement, the participants will receive training in Basic Drilling Engineering Operations, Well Planning and Design, Measurement While Drilling, Logging While Drilling, drilling rig operations and well-log data analytics. The programme will also include entrepreneurship, business management and digital skills, which the company said would broaden the participants’ ability to pursue opportunities across the energy value chain. A key feature of the programme is its connection to an actual oilfield operation. Speaking to the participants, Manager, Nigerian Content Division, Oando Energy Resources Nigeria Limited, Deji Agboola, said the programme offered them an opportunity to contribute to the development of the country’s oil and gas industry. Apapa Customs intercept N43.58bn drugs, expired goods Oil output drops 5,000bpd in August amid recovery Rivers urged to deploy CNG for job creation, tackle pollution “Oando, NCDMB, and Hilong have given you an opportunity of a lifetime, to play a role in the development of Nigeria. Being here equips you with the capacity to contribute meaningfully to the future of the oil and gas industry, as well as the country,” he said. Oando said the shift in the country’s petroleum industry, with indigenous companies increasingly taking over ownership and operations of assets previously held by international oil companies, had made investment in technical manpower increasingly important. The company said greater indigenous ownership must be matched by the availability of Nigerians with the expertise required to operate the assets. It also identified knowledge transfer and succession planning as critical to sustaining the industry’s technical capacity, particularly as experienced professionals gradually exit the workforce. The company said the programme was part of its commitment to developing Nigerian technical talent while creating pathways for young Nigerians, particularly those from host communities, to acquire industry-relevant skills and practical experience. Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Board’s General Manager, Human Capacity Development, Mrs Alexis Emelle, described the initiative as an investment in the participants and the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The collaboration between Oando Energy Resources Nigeria Limited, NCDMB and Hilong is expected to expose the beneficiaries to the operational environment while helping to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical competence. The programme also aligns with the Nigerian Content objective of ensuring that communities and Nigerians derive greater value from activities within the oil and gas industry through access to skills, employment and opportunities across the energy value chain. Ismaeel Uthman

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