The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is taking its local content agenda into a new frontier, the digital economy, with the official launch of its Digitisation Initiative, a nationwide capacity development programme aimed at equipping young Nigerians with advanced digital and data analytics skills to drive innovation in the oil and gas industry.

The South-West edition of the launch, held in Victoria Island, Lagos, marks a new chapter in how the Board defines local participation, one that shifts from tools and welders to coders and data scientists. The initiative, which was sponsored by Seplat Energy Plc in collaboration with NCDMB’s Human Capacity Development Division and implemented by Uniqueocean Limited, the initiative signals the Board’s belief that the future of Nigeria’s energy industry will be powered as much by algorithms as by barrels.

Mohammed Ahmed, Manager, Services Utilisation at the NCDMB, said the initiative was conceived to close the digital skill gap threatening the industry’s competitiveness. “This is not just training; it is a transformative journey,” Ahmed told the 20 participants selected for the 18-month programme. “We want you to see yourselves not as students but as professionals in a changing industry. Be ready to unlearn and relearn, because the oil and gas space is evolving faster than ever.”

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He added that the Board and its partners have invested heavily, financially and technically, to ensure that every participant becomes a model for the kind of digital capacity Nigeria’s energy future demands.

At the event, Letty Agala of NCDMB’s Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate reminded participants that the Board’s investment goes beyond skills; it includes discipline, accountability, and professionalism. Attendance, she noted, will be strictly monitored under a new monthly reporting system designed to track progress and foster transparent communication between NCDMB and its training partners.

Emmanuel Adeshola, Programme Manager at Uniqueocean Limited, said the curriculum bridges the gap between classroom theory and industry reality. Participants will undergo intensive training in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, and Software Development, with real-life projects tailored to oil and gas operations, including a prototype for predictive equipment maintenance.

Structured across three phases: foundational, advanced, and incubation, the programme will combine physical and virtual learning modes, leading up to industry placements or startup incubation. Each trainee will receive a laptop, accommodation, health insurance, and a monthly stipend, an investment valued at over ₦20 million per participant.

Olayanju Olasunkanmi, Principal Consultant at Uniqueocean, described the initiative as a professional engagement, not a classroom exercise. “NCDMB’s investment in you is enormous. You are not just trainees; you are innovators being prepared to build real solutions for Nigeria’s oil and gas ecosystem,” he said.

The Board believes that the digitisation drive could redefine local content participation in the coming decade. Beyond building welders and engineers, it now wants to build digital problem-solvers who can compete in a world where technology defines efficiency and sustainability.

The Digitisation Initiative is one of NCDMB’s strategic human capacity programmes under its mandate to promote indigenous participation across every segment of the oil and gas value chain. By investing in digital literacy and innovation, the Board is signalling a new phase in Nigeria’s local content story, one where data becomes as valuable as crude, and the next generation of oil and gas professionals are as comfortable with code as they are with pipelines.

Meiza Nigeria