WARRI — Nigeria must urgently strengthen and upskill its oil and gas workforce if the country is to maximise the investment and employment opportunities expected from renewed activity in the deep offshore sector, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has said.
NUPRC Commission Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, raised the concern on Thursday at the inaugural Human Capital Development Conference and Expo 2026 organised by the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) in Warri.
Eyesan’s warning comes against the backdrop of the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Project Incentives (Tax Remission) Executive Order 2026 signed by President Bola Tinubu, which has the potential to unlock up to $50 billion in new offshore investments and create new employment opportunities.
According to Eyesan, Nigeria’s oil and gas industry experienced a sharp decline in investment over the past decade, creating skills gaps among professionals who depend on sustained exploration and development activities.
She noted that Nigeria attracted investment of up to $26 billion in the oil and gas sector in 2014, but annual investment had fallen to about $2 billion by 2023, according to NUPRC figures.
Eyesan said the decline in investment first affected geoscientists as exploration activities slowed, before the impact extended to petroleum engineers.
The prolonged lull, she explained, contributed to a skills gap in the industry and underscored the need for Nigeria to prepare its workforce for the opportunities that could emerge from renewed investment.
The NUPRC chief executive’s position highlights the importance of human capital development as Nigeria seeks to attract fresh investment into its upstream petroleum sector and maximise the benefits of the latest deep offshore incentives.
The OGTAN conference and expo focused on human capital development in the oil and gas industry, providing a platform to examine how Nigeria can develop a workforce capable of meeting the demands of a changing global energy industry.
Eyesan’s remarks also come as Nigeria seeks to strengthen its competitiveness in the global oil and gas market and attract investment into deep offshore projects.
The NUPRC has highlighted the potential of the new deep offshore investment framework to stimulate activity in the sector, making workforce development a critical component of Nigeria’s ability to convert investment into jobs, skills development and broader economic opportunities.
