Oil sector losing professionals to migration, retirement – Tinubu’s aide

The special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on energy, Olu Verheijen, has expressed concerns that the Nigerian oil sector is in a dearth of skilled manpower due to either migration or retirement.

Verheijen stated that over the past decade, Nigeria has been faced with a severe shortage of experienced engineers, geoscientists, and project managers.

Speaking at the ongoing Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Conference in Lagos, Verheijen said this informed the presidential directive calling for local content development.

 She said, “There was also a directive on local content. Essentially, the intention behind that directive is to ensure that capacity building by members of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria continues to the extent that they can compete globally with the other global service providers.

“One of the things that has been an issue in the recent past is the issue of skilled manpower. Over the past decade, we have witnessed a critical gap in skilled professionals. Many industry experts are either retiring or migrating abroad, creating a severe shortage of experienced engineers, geoscientists, and project managers. So, what does this require? There’s a need for targeted investment in human capital development,” she stated.

According to her, this professional also created an opportunity to empower women and give them a chance in the energy sector.

“There’s also an opportunity here to empower women. Strategically, and because of the economic imperative it could deliver for Nigeria and indeed Africa, the question before us is not whether Nigeria and Africa have the talent; it is whether we are cultivating and maintaining it.

“One of the most underutilised resources in Nigeria’s energy sector is the women. Women currently hold 25 per cent of executive roles in Nigeria and just 21 per cent in the energy workforce in Africa. This under-representation is not due to lack of capability or, rather, a lack of access, sponsorship, and sustained focus on developing the skilled base,” she stressed.

The special adviser said she remained committed to driving initiatives to ensure women with capacity have access to the right opportunities, not just because diversity matters, but because it is a strategic necessity.

She posited that industries that embrace inclusion do consistently outperform their peers.

“Therefore, Nigeria and Africa cannot afford to sideline more than half of its population in the sector that will define the future economic future of Africa, “she cautioned.

Similarly, Verheijen saw the need to involve the youth in the sector, warning that young talents are being lost to migration.

She said, “Beyond gender, inclusion must also extend to the youth and marginalised community. Nigeria’s median age, for example, is 18 years, yet we are losing our young talent to emigration. If we fail to provide them with meaningful opportunities, we risk an irreversible brain drain.

“Building capacity is the next frontier, and that is what we should do, and we have the capability to do it. We have the expertise. Nigeria is open for business. Nigeria has the vision, the policies are there, and the determination is there—from the president to the minister and every one of us.

“The PETAN members have played a vital role in our industry growth. As we navigate this period of transformation, I urge you to remain engaged, to invest in our local capacity, and to collaborate with the government to ensure that Nigeria and indeed Africa will remain the premier investment destination. Let us work together to build an energy sector that is innovative, inclusive, and globally competitive.”

Speaking about Nigeria and the global energy landscape, she stated that some forms of transformation are characterised by renewable energy, artificial intelligence, hydrogen, and carbon capture, among other factors taking space in the discussion on energy.

The presidential aide maintained that the Nigerian energy sector has not been business as usual in the last 18 months under Tinubu’s leadership, saying the reforms are unlocking investments and driving economic growth.

She stated, “In the last 18 months, the subsidy, which characterised the economy of Nigeria, has been removed, and the funds that were hitherto spent on the subsidy are now being channelled to other sectors of the economy. The president has introduced directives on regulation, including local content. There have also been fiscal incentives introduced in the country, not just for gas but also for oil, and not just for onshore but also for deepwater.

“There’s also been final investment decisions. Last year, we witnessed a big investment that we’ve not seen for a while in the deepwater space, the Bonga North, which is about N5bn. Beyond these, there were other investments last year. There were investments in the area of clean energy, also coming from behind one of the directives that the President issued in the last 18 months. So, there have also been some power sector investments, all to deliver good living for Nigerians.”