The Federal Government of Nigeria has inaugurated two strategic working groups aimed at advancing gas utilisation and boosting technical knowledge across the country. The National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), as well as the NGEP and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), launched these initiatives during a ceremony in Abuja yesterday.
Nicholas Ella, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum, presided over the event, underscoring the importance of equipping technical college graduates with entrepreneurial skills to thrive in today’s evolving global market. “Globally, it is now a norm that graduates of technical colleges possess soft skills that enable them to become entrepreneurs as soon as they leave school,” Ella said. He emphasised that this initiative is a deliberate step towards addressing skill gaps in critical sectors of the economy by introducing specialised skills into higher education curriculums, particularly in technical institutions.
The working groups, both chaired by Professor Mohammed Ibrahim, head of the NGEP, will focus on creating specialised training modules and promoting the development of gas-related skills. “Technology and innovation are driven by people,” said Ella, adding that it is imperative for Nigeria to invest in specialised training modules to ensure that its technical colleges produce graduates ready to tackle the challenges in the gas sector.
The NGEP/NBTE working group will focus on designing a comprehensive curriculum for training gas entrepreneurs in Nigeria’s mono-technics and polytechnics. This will cover the full spectrum of the gas value chain, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), and bio-gas. The curriculum will address technical, commercial, and logistical aspects of gas entrepreneurship. One of the group’s key tasks is to assess and evaluate the current capacities of Nigeria’s technical institutions in terms of infrastructure, human resources, and pedagogical tools required to deliver this training. The group is expected to submit its findings and recommendations by November 15, 2024.
Additionally, the NGEP/CORBON working group has been charged with formulating a policy to implement best practices for gas reticulation in the building industry. This includes reviewing Nigeria’s building codes to ensure gas installation and usage are safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. The group will also examine gas distribution systems used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings in other countries, providing recommendations for improving Nigeria’s approach. In doing so, it will propose stringent quality requirements for materials and equipment used in gas reticulation.
Speaking on the broader aims of the NGEP, Professor Ibrahim remarked that the programme seeks to embed innovation within Nigeria’s building industry, particularly in the context of modern energy solutions. “There is no modern society where energy is still carried around manually as it was done in the past,” he said. Ibrahim stressed the importance of building capacity within Nigeria’s mono- and polytechnics to foster gas entrepreneurship, stating that only by creating a “critical mass” of skilled professionals will Nigeria be able to fully benefit from the diverse energy solutions the NGEP and Ministry of Petroleum are working to implement.
“This initiative is about creating opportunities and building a future where Nigeria can tap into its vast energy resources efficiently and sustainably,” Ibrahim added, noting that the collaboration between government agencies and technical institutions is crucial for success.
The NGEP is part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to drive gas utilisation as a central component of the country’s energy future, recognising gas as a bridge fuel that supports cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions. By prioritising education, training, and industry standards, the Federal Government aims to ensure that Nigeria’s workforce is prepared to meet the demands of the growing gas sector, while also promoting energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
This move is seen as a crucial step towards positioning Nigeria as a global leader in gas production and utilisation, while addressing domestic energy needs and creating opportunities for economic growth.