Energy
Quality Petroleum Education: Panacea to Nigeria’s energy transition challenges- Wabote
Lucky MOMOH
Warri – There is an urgent need for the Federal Government and other stakeholders of the oil and gas industry to intensify efforts in the promotion of quality petroleum education and development of competent manpower who would help Nigeria meet the challenges of the ongoing energy transition and expected boom in the gas sector.
This was the key recommendation by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote in the convocation lecture he delivered on Friday at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) Effurun, Delta State, titled “Defining the Value of Local Content in Petroleum Education.”
He canvassed that as western nations shift their attention from oil and gas and focus on the provision of funding, manufacturing of equipment, and development of supply chain to support their renewable energy sources, it is imperative that Nigeria and other hydrocarbon-rich countries develop the requisite capacity and capability to produce and utilize their fossil fuel resources.
According to him, the ongoing debate and the deadlines being set in respect of energy transition underscored the need to develop home-grown skill sets to develop and manage the nation’s natural resources. He stressed that “the narrative around energy transition has further revealed the need to ensure that there is a direct link between our petroleum education and the development and utilization of our hydrocarbon resources, so we are able to deal with any outcome of the transition.”
Commenting on the recent enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the Decade of Gas initiative, Wabote pointed out that those developments would not only engender investments and utilization of the nation’s estimated 600 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves but also lead to a boom in the gas sector, which would benefit discerning institutions, investors, operators, and service providers.
He added that “these scenarios require a robust petroleum education sector to ensure that our in-country skill sets are available and sufficient to support the exploration, development, production, and processing of hydrocarbon resources.”
The Executive Secretary charged educational institutions in Nigeria to prepare for the opportunities and challenges of energy transition and gas revolution by preparing robust curriculum in petroleum education with the mindset of enabling Nigerians develop and utilize our hydrocarbon resources using our home-grown technology. The institutions should put require greater focus on development of top-notch graduates to enable the development of Nigerian hydrocarbon resources – especially gas, he canvassed.
This he further explained, “will ensure that we are not forced out from the development of hydrocarbon resources due to lack of technical capability as was the case with coal development in Enugu.”
He maintained that FUPRE is an institution devoted to petroleum education and should be at the forefront of preparing our manpower needs for any outcome or impact of Energy Transition.
He agreed on the need to add renewables to the global energy mix to ensure energy security, but criticised attempts by the western world to demonize or de-marketing other energy sources as well as extracting commitments and setting unrealistic deadlines for countries to abandon fossil fuels.
He advised all nations to jealously guard their locally available sources of energy and ensure they remain in their energy mix for the benefit of their people.
He also highlighted two implications that have emerged from the rush to move the world away from fossil fuels and they include Divestment, whereby western countries shift funding away from the development of hydrocarbons towards renewable energy and Energy Shortage, which is the decline in the supply of hydrocarbons due to lack of investments and the fast pace of the shift to renewable energies.
He posited that Divestment has resulted in the emergence of indigenous companies playing major roles in exploration and production activities “such that companies like AITEO, FIRST E&P, EROTON, and others have acquired assets and are now responsible for producing about 15% of Nigeria’s oil and more than 60% of domestic gas.”
He however regretted that the divestment of the international oil companies and their reluctance to make further investments in oil and gas have resulted in the repatriation of capital out of Nigeria. “This stifles the nation’s economy of the much-needed foreign exchange with funds used as loans to acquire oil and gas assets instead of being used to develop new production assets,” he rued.
The Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has completed the turnaround maintenance on the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, leading to resumption of production at Nigeria’s premier deepwater field on March 6, 2026.
Biztellers reports that the project was delivered 11 days ahead of schedule and without any safety incident, reinforcing SNEPCo’s longstanding commitment to operational excellence and asset integrity.
“Completing the turnaround safely and ahead of schedule is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our Nigerian workforce and the helpful support of our partners,” SNEPCo Managing Director Ronald Adams said. “The achievement not only secures the long‑term integrity of the Bonga FPSO but also positions us strongly for the successful delivery of the Bonga North project, which will leverage the improved reliability of the FPSO.”
The exercise which began on February 1, 2026, highlights SNEPCo’s leading role in advancing deep‑water expertise in Nigeria. Of the 55 companies involved in the execution, 43 were wholly Nigerian. Additionally, eight of the 12 international service providers maintain operational bases in Nigeria, contributing to knowledge transfer and increased local investments.
More than 1,000 personnel worked offshore during the turnaround, with over 95% being Nigerians involved in maintenance, engineering, operations, inspection and construction. Thousands more supported activities from onshore locations, reflecting the depth of Nigerian capability in offshore oil and gas operations.
Adams added: “We acknowledge the support of several stakeholders towards the successful execution of the exercise, including the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and our partners.”
Modupe Asudo
Sahara Group, a leading global energy and infrastructure conglomerate, has commissioned MT Asharami Ghana, a 40,000‑cubic‑metre Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, expanding its fleet capacity, while strengthening Ghana’s clean energy supply chain and LPG distribution network.
The dual‑fuel vessel improves operational efficiency, enhances supply reliability, and supports lower‑emission LPG logistics as consumption grows across Ghana and the wider sub‑region.
Ghanaian President Mahama and Sahara Executive Directors
Speaking at the commissioning in Ulsan, South Korea, President John Dramani Mahama described the vessel as “a significant milestone in strengthening the infrastructure that underpins the global LPG supply chain,” noting that expanded shipping capacity is critical to improving supply security, reliability and efficiency for countries that rely partly on LPG imports.
He commended Sahara Group, WAGL Energy and all partners involved for their “leadership, technical expertise and strategic foresight,” adding that the project reflects “the power of partnership” in advancing safe, efficient, and responsible energy distribution.
President Mahama wished the MT Asharami Ghana safe sails, expressing confidence that the vessel would inspire further investment and collaboration across Africa’s energy value chain.
According to Wale Ajibade, Executive Director, Sahara Group, the vessel supports Ghana’s clean energy ambitions through integrated infrastructure.
“MT Asharami Ghana is more than a vessel; it is part of a deliberate strategy to strengthen LPG supply security and support Ghana’s clean energy ambitions. It secures an additional 25,000-Metric-tonne stock security for the Ghana economy, alongside the soon to be commissioned 6000-metric-tonee of 12.000-metric-tonne land storage in Tema,” he said.
With the addition of Asharami Ghana, Sahara Group’s LPG carrier fleet now comprises six delivered vessels with a combined capacity of 202,000 cubic metres. Supported by partnerships with WAGL Energy, NNPC Limited and other stakeholders, an additional 270,000 cubic metres of capacity is under construction and due for delivery by September 2028.
Temitope Shonubi, Executive Director, Sahara Group, said Asharami Ghana is part of Sahara’s integrated LPG infrastructure strategy spanning shipping, storage, and downstream distribution globally, including the development of a 12,000‑metric‑tonne land‑based LPG storage terminal in Tema, with a 6,000‑metric‑tonne first phase scheduled for completion in May 2026.
He thanked Yaa Serwaa Alifo, MD of Asharami Ghana, for her resilience and insistence to dedicate a ship of “this magnitude solely to the Ghana Market and its landlocked neighbours.”
Ghana is targeting LPG adoption of 50 per cent of households by 2030, up from about 30 per cent today. Sahara’s investments will support clean energy access for more than 35 million people, while strengthening Ghana’s role in regional LPG trade to neighbouring and landlocked West African markets.
The commissioning comes in Sahara Group’s 30th anniversary year, guided by the Sahara Beyond XXX milestone, underscoring Sahara’s focus on building an enduring enterprise that delivers responsible growth, shared prosperity and long‑term impact across its markets.
Nigeria’s crude oil production dropped to 1.31 million barrels per day in February, even as local refineries continue to grapple with inadequate domestic crude supply needed to sustain operations.
The development shows that Nigeria again failed to meet its crude oil production quota of 1.5 million barrels per day approved by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as output declined sharply in February 2026.
Data from OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report, based on direct communication from member countries, showed that Nigeria produced 1.314 million barrels per day in February, down from 1.459 mbpd recorded in January.
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The figures indicate a month-on-month decline of 146,000 barrels per day, widening the country’s shortfall from its OPEC production allocation.
Nigeria’s inability to meet its OPEC production quota is not only affecting its oil export earnings but also adversely impacting domestic refineries that are starved of feedstock for their operations.
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