The Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) has signed a Human Capacity Development (HCD) Manifesto committing regulators, oil and gas operators, training providers and academia to specific actions aimed at closing skills gaps across Nigeria’s energy industry.

The manifesto was presented at the closing plenary of OGTAN’s inaugural HCD Conference and Expo, held from 19  to 21  August 2026 at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State. The conference brought together stakeholders to address the workforce requirements of an industry increasingly shaped by digitisation, artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, gas development and the energy transition.

OGTAN President, Chris Osarunmwense, said the manifesto was designed to move human capital development beyond conferences and training activities towards measurable improvements in competence, productivity and industry performance.

The eight-pillar plan includes regulatory compliance, skills identification, technical skills development, energy transition and gas readiness, trainer standards and certification, HCD funding, indigenous training capacity, and inclusion of young professionals and host communities.

Under the skills-identification pillar, operators are expected to communicate the competencies required across the industry, including roles that could be affected by automation. Training providers will then use those requirements to develop programmes based on identified workforce needs rather than generic curricula.

The manifesto also addresses the loss of institutional knowledge as experienced professionals leave the sector. Stakeholders are expected to identify critical skills at risk and document specialised knowledge before it is lost.

Another focus is preparing workers for changes in the energy industry. The proposed areas include renewable energy, gas-to-power, methane management, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, carbon markets, ESG reporting and energy economics.

OGTAN will also strengthen standards for training providers through grading, independent audits and a formal training-of-trainers programme. The association’s mandate already includes the supervision, standardisation and certification of training bodies, curricula and training delivery within the oil and gas industry.

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Funding is another part of the plan, with the manifesto proposing greater coordination among government, industry, academia and technology partners. The association also plans to strengthen indigenous Nigerian training capacity so local providers can meet international standards.

For younger Nigerians, the manifesto includes apprenticeships, graduate development and mentorship, while host communities are also included in the proposed human capital development programmes. Accountability would be built into the implementation process, with commitments assigned to responsible stakeholders, measurable outputs, timelines and verification mechanisms. The association is also establishing a Training Managers Forum to allow training managers from upstream companies to coordinate workforce development issues.

The move comes as OGTAN positions human capital as a central part of Nigeria’s energy transition. Its stated mandate is to work with regulators, operators and academia to build local capacity across the oil, gas and wider energy value chain.

The success of the manifesto will therefore depend less on the number of commitments signed and more on whether the industry can translate them into stronger training standards, better-defined skills requirements and a workforce equipped for the changing energy market.

Meiza Nigeria