The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has concluded plans to roll out a nationwide digitalisation training initiative aimed at equipping 3,700 young Nigerians with cutting-edge digital skills to meet the evolving demands of the oil and gas industry.
Obinna Ezeobi, General Manager of Corporate Communications at NCDMB, confirmed the development in a discussion with our correspondent, stating that the programme will be implemented under the NCDMB Digitalisation Initiative.
Ezeobi noted that the training is tailored to prepare Nigerian youths for current and future trends driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“The programme is designed to equip young Nigerians with the essential skills needed to thrive in the current and emerging waves of the industrial revolution,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Felix Ogbe, highlighted that the oil and gas sector is already embracing technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, the industrial internet of things, virtual reality, drones, and blockchain-based data exchange.
Ogbe explained that this shift toward digitalisation is critical to enhancing productivity, optimising costs, and promoting low-carbon operations. He added that it also enables remote operations, lean operational structures, predictive maintenance, and automation of business processes.
Reaffirming the board’s long-standing commitment to its mandate, Ezeobi stated that NCDMB remains focused on preparing and empowering players within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry supply chain to remain relevant in a rapidly changing landscape.
Abdulmalik Halilu, Director of Corporate Services at NCDMB, further explained that the NDI is targeted at Nigerian youths aged 35 and below. He said the programme will focus on high-impact areas that build digital competencies, deliver quick value, and support long-term sustainable development.
“According to details of the programme, the training will benefit youths across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory over the next three years,” Halilu said. “It will expose the candidates to digital tools as well as the design and development of market-relevant solutions.”
He also disclosed that 100 participants will be selected for the pilot phase of the initiative. Selection will be conducted through the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS) portal — the industry’s central database for human and material capacity.
As part of the pre-selection process, Ezeobi said candidates will undergo aptitude tests across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The screening will begin on September 30 in Umuahia, followed by tests on October 3 in Warri, October 6 in both Lagos and Kaduna, and October 9 in Minna and Taraba.
