By Radarr Africa
Copyright radarr
The Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) has reaffirmed its commitment to building fit-for-purpose skills that will strengthen Nigeria’s energy industry and ensure long-term sustainability.
Speaking at the Human Capacity Development Awards in Lagos, the President of OGTAN, Mr. Chris Osarumwense, said the association is driven by excellence and collaboration in advancing human capital within the petroleum sector.
The awards ceremony recognised 11 trainers, policy drivers, and corporate organisations across 10 categories for their contributions to workforce development in the oil and gas industry.
Winners included the Petroleum Training Institute, which received the Excellence in Oil and Gas Training Award; Nigeria LNG Limited, which won the Best Corporate Training Partner Award; and TotalEnergies E&P Nigeria Limited, which was honoured with the Young Professional Development Award. Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited clinched the HCD Advancement Award.
Other recipients were Aradel Holdings Plc and First E&P Development Company, which both received the Indigenous HCD Company of the Year Award. Pana Academy and Oilserv Limited won the OGTAN Affiliate of the Year Award, while the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) emerged as the Government Partner of the Year.
Mr. Osarumwense said the winners represent high standards of performance, leadership, and impact in workforce development. He noted that OGTAN’s more than 400 member companies have delivered thousands of courses and certifications to prepare industry-ready talents over the years.
He emphasised that capacity building is now a critical factor for Nigeria’s energy future, adding that OGTAN is committed to equipping young professionals with the competencies needed to keep the sector competitive and innovative.
“Capacity development is vital to Nigeria’s energy future. Through university linkages, young professionals’ programmes and workshops, OGTAN drives human capacity growth, equipping talents with competencies needed to keep the sector competitive and innovative,” Osarumwense said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of OGTAN’s Board of Trustees, Mr. Sam Onyechi, described the association as Nigeria’s strongest platform for human capacity development in the petroleum sector. He explained that OGTAN has fulfilled a government mandate to domesticate and localise skills training in the oil and gas industry.
He further revealed that OGTAN has been recognised as an awarding body for industry skills by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). With sponsorship from NCDMB, the group is also developing national occupational standards to close gaps in critical oil and gas skills.
According to Onyechi, OGTAN’s work in training and certification remains central to the government’s efforts to build a stronger, more resilient energy workforce for the future.
