The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has identified the lack of trained adequate local manpower as a major challenge in the development of the country’s oil and gas sector.

Mr Rabe Darma, the PTDF Executive Secretary, made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

Darma said that most of the hiccups in the development of the sector would have been history if there were adequate number of trained Nigerians to man the positions being occupied by expatriates.

He said it was against this backdrop that PTDF increased the number of beneficiaries of its overseas scholarship scheme, aimed at training Nigerian professionals in notable European universities and institutes to bridge the manpower gap.

Darma said the sponsorship was designed to make the beneficiaries more capable, competent and skilful for the oil and gas jobs, and that about 200 scholars were selected for the award each year, in the last seven years.

“This session alone, we sent about 600 people, three times more than the number we had sent out in the last eight years. That was the first thing we did.

“We also realised that there were institutions in this country that also need capacity building in the oil and gas sector.

“Over the years, these institutions have been neglected or they are being allowed to rot away. Of course, they could be patronised,” Darma said.

He said the PTDF decided to patronise such institutions, especially those with technology background, to develop their capacity and re-direct their utility in producing and developing the requisite manpower.


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