The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on Wednesday held an interactive session with student union leaders from various tertiary institutions in Bayelsa State, focusing on the Board’s plans to improve practical exposure for students, especially through industrial training opportunities with service companies in the oil and gas industry. The event took place at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, where officials explained ongoing initiatives and the roles expected of young people in supporting development in the state.
Student Union Government representatives were drawn from Bayelsa Medical University, Federal University Otuoke, National Open University Yenagoa Centre, University of Africa Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State College of Health Sciences, Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro College of Education Sagbama, and the International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Yenagoa, among others.
Speaking on the theme “The Role of the Student Community in the Sustainable Development of Bayelsa State,” the General Manager, Human Capital Development of the NCDMB, Esueme Dan Kikile Esq., said knowledge plays a critical role in the growth of individuals, especially students and young persons who make up a large part of the society. He encouraged the students to draw inspiration from well-known youth leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr., Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro, and Malala Yousafzai, noting how their impact helped shape their communities. According to him, students should embrace qualities like sacrifice, resilience, determination, and focus.
He stated, “Each and everyone of you should be that instrument to change our state and our country for the better,” adding that the Board has several programmes that prepare young people for opportunities in the oil and gas industry and other parts of national life. He said, “We want to encourage youths to seek knowledge, be creative, be innovative.”
Mr. Kikile highlighted the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad, a competition recently launched by the Board in partnership with Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, First E&P, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers. The programme targets final-year undergraduate engineering students and postgraduate students across the country.
He urged students to participate, explaining that the Olympiad helps build problem-solving skills, technical abilities, innovation, and business awareness. The eight-month-long programme has an application deadline of 11 January 2026. He noted that the prize for the eventual winner is similar to what is offered in one of the biggest Reality TV Shows in Nigeria.
He also announced that the NCDMB is putting together a plan that will allow students in tertiary institutions to undergo industrial training with service companies in the oil and gas industry. He said this approach would give them practical exposure and real work experience before graduation. He explained that the Board is also running a three-year internship for young graduates in partnership with Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, formerly Shell Petroleum Development Company.
The General Manager further mentioned the Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Programme, which aims to train 10,000 young graduates in the top ten skill areas in the sector. He said the initiative is part of the Board’s efforts to build a skilled workforce ahead of major projects that recently received Final Investment Decisions.
Also speaking at the session, the General Manager of Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, gave an overview of the NCDMB’s creation and explained how the Board came into existence after the signing of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act in 2010. He said the Act was necessary because the industry had suffered from massive capital flight and limited job opportunities for Nigerians. He explained the Board’s mandate as “to develop the capacity of the local supply chain for effective and efficient service delivery to the oil and gas industry, without compromising standards.”
According to him, “The whole idea of local content is about disruption, changing how things were being done in the oil and gas industry,” stressing that the Board’s vision is “to be the catalyst for the industrialization of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors.”
Dr. Ezeobi noted that it is important for students in an oil-producing state to understand basic industry operations and local content, as it affects them, their communities, and potential investments coming into the state.
He stated that the NCDMB has been deliberate in its projects in Bayelsa State. One of the most remarkable is the 17-storey Nigerian Content Tower, which remains the tallest building in the South-South and South-East regions. He said the project created numerous jobs for residents during construction and now attracts thousands of industry stakeholders from within and outside the country.
He also noted the ongoing construction of the NCDMB Conference Hotel located beside the Tower. He described it as the first five-star hotel in the state, currently at 80 percent completion, and expected to boost tourism and hospitality activities in the state capital.
Dr. Ezeobi added that the Board has played a major role in the Oloibiri Oil and Gas Museum and Research Centre project, being handled by Julius Berger Plc. He said the project is supported by NNPCL, PTDF, and the Bayelsa State Government, and is expected to be completed within 30 months.
He also referred to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme located in Emeyal, Ogbia Local Government Area, explaining that it is designed to support local manufacturing. In addition, he noted that the 10-megawatt thermal power plant built by the Board in Elebele is already supplying electricity to the Nigerian Content Tower and the Bayelsa Government House.
He mentioned that preparations for the Brass Shipyard are progressing steadily. The facility is expected to handle drydocking and fittings for tankers, supported by activities from the NLNG Train-7 Project in Bonny Island.
Dr. Ezeobi urged youths and host communities to use dialogue whenever issues arise with companies and to avoid actions that could discourage investors. During the session, students asked questions about registering on the NOGIC Joint Qualification System, opportunities for non-engineering graduates in the oil and gas sector, the internal structure of the NCDMB, and the poor road leading to the Oloibiri Museum site.
