The push to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign expertise in the oil and gas sector is taking a more practical shape, with a new geoscience centre unveiled at the University of Lagos.

The facility, delivered by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited in partnership with its joint venture operators and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, is part of a broader effort to build technical capacity within Nigeria’s energy industry rather than rely on imported skills.

For years, one of the quiet challenges in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector has been the gap between available jobs and locally available expertise. This is where projects like this are meant to intervene.

Speaking at the commissioning, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe said the centre reflects a deliberate shift toward strengthening local capability, especially in geosciences, a field central to discovering and developing oil and gas resources.

“Human capital development sits at the core of the Nigerian content mandate,” he said, noting that the facility will support efforts to position Nigeria more competitively within the global energy industry.

Geoscience remains one of the most critical but underdeveloped skill areas in the sector. It drives exploration, reservoir analysis, and decision-making around new projects. According to the NCDMB, it is also one of the top focus areas under its training programme aimed at preparing 10,000 Nigerians for roles in upcoming oil and gas developments.

Represented by Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, Ogbe, said the new centre will feed directly into that pipeline, providing students with practical exposure and technical grounding.

“There are three things we work on,” he said. “First, any good produced in-country that can be applied in the oil and gas industry must be patronised. Secondly, if you own assets useful to the industry and meet the requirements, you should get patronage. Lastly, and most important, is building human capacity.”

The choice of UNILAG was not accidental. The board said the institution already has a strong base in geosciences and related disciplines, making it a natural fit for the project.

Also Read: NCDMB, Seplat advance plans for gas research centre at DELSU

Beyond oil and gas, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu used the moment to push a broader message around local innovation. Represented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Tolani Sule, he said Nigeria must begin to solve its own problems using locally developed knowledge.

“Nigeria cannot continue to rely heavily on external expertise in critical sectors,” he said. “We must train our own professionals and develop our own solutions.”

He added that the impact of the centre goes beyond the energy sector, pointing to its relevance in environmental management, infrastructure planning, and other technical fields.

For Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, the project also signals a shift in how industry players engage with education. Managing Director Ronald Adams described the centre as a “national asset” and called on other stakeholders to treat it as a shared platform for research and talent development.

“This is not a Shell facility; it is a national asset,” he said. “We encourage partnerships that will support research, student projects, internships, and mentorship.”

At the institutional level, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, said the centre will open up new research opportunities while giving students access to tools that reflect real industry conditions.

“It will equip our students with critical skills through hands-on learning, simulation laboratories, and advanced teaching technology,” she said, adding that the facility will support areas such as reservoir modelling, seismic interpretation, and core analysis.

She also noted that a long-term sustainability plan has been built into the project, covering funding, partnerships, upgrades, and maintenance to ensure the centre remains relevant over time.

The new facility is one of several being rolled out across Nigerian universities under a long-term roadmap developed by the PricewaterhouseCoopers to strengthen research and development in the oil and gas sector.

For industry observers, the real test will not be the commissioning, but whether centres like this can consistently produce graduates with the skills the industry actually needs.

Meiza Nigeria