Oborevwori seeks skills push for energy sector
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has urged stakeholders in the energy sector to work more closely to tackle Nigeria’s widening skills gap and prepare the workforce for the industry’s technological transformation.
Oborevwori made the call on Friday in a goodwill message delivered by the state Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Chief Peter Uviejitobor, at the 2026 Human Capacity Development Conference and Expo of the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN).
Nathan Tamarapreye
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has urged stakeholders in the energy sector to work more closely to tackle Nigeria’s widening skills gap and prepare the workforce for the industry’s technological transformation.
Oborevwori made the call on Friday in a goodwill message delivered by the state Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Chief Peter Uviejitobor, at the 2026 Human Capacity Development Conference and Expo of the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN).
The three-day conference was held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
The governor said collaboration among operators, regulators, training institutions, development partners and other stakeholders was necessary to produce a workforce capable of meeting the changing demands of the energy industry.
He said rapid advances in technology, digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence, alongside the global shift towards cleaner energy, were reshaping the sector and making investment in human capital increasingly important.
“We firmly believe that the greatest asset of any nation or state is not its natural resources, but the quality of its human capital,” Oborevwori said.
He said Nigeria’s petroleum industry could only achieve sustainable growth with a competent workforce equipped with globally relevant skills.
According to him, human-capacity development is also essential to the effective implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, the attainment of Nigerian Content objectives and the long-term sustainability of the energy sector.
Oborevwori commended OGTAN for promoting industrial skills, internationally recognised certifications, research and innovation, describing the association’s efforts as vital to strengthening Nigeria’s technical workforce.
He called on stakeholders to ensure that training curricula reflect emerging industrial needs, while expanding apprenticeship programmes and facilitating technology transfer.
The governor also urged training institutions to prepare young Nigerians for emerging opportunities in gas development, renewable energy, digital technology, robotics, artificial intelligence and industrial automation.
“Together, we must align training curricula with emerging industrial needs, expand apprenticeship opportunities and encourage technology transfer,” he said.
Oborevwori said the Delta Government had made skills development and economic empowerment central to its development agenda, with investments in technical colleges, vocational education and other specialised institutions.
He said the investments were aimed at equipping young people with industry-relevant competencies, improving their employability and increasing indigenous participation in the economy. The governor added that Delta’s human-capital development initiatives were designed to produce a workforce capable of driving industrial growth and attracting investment, while positioning the state as a hub for energy, manufacturing and technology-driven enterprises.
