Following the rejection of 186 expatriate quotas earlier this year, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and the National Universities Commission (NUC), yesterday in Kaduna, said the Federal Government is rapidly building skills capability and changing existing curriculum amidst artificial intelligence (AI) disruption and other technologies.

This came as PTDF said attention was shifting to developing skills that would address energy diversification and environmental challenges in the face of climate realities.

Speaking at the official flag-off of the PTDF/CPESK PhD Split-Site Induction Programme at the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies (CPESK) in Kaduna, researchers under the programme disclosed renewed interest in research that would develop local technologies for gas flaring and alternative energy, including hydrogen and renewable energy.

The move comes amid concerns over heavy reliance on foreign expertise in an industry so critical to national revenue and energy security.

Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary of the PTDF, Ahmed Galadima Aminu, said the programme was designed to domesticate capacity development.

“For over 20 years, thousands of Nigerians were trained abroad at high cost. The question then was how we could deliver the same quality training locally without losing value,” Aminu asked, noting that partnerships with the UK universities, including the University of Strathclyde, Robert Gordon University and the University of Portsmouth, would provide international-standard programmes within Nigeria.

He emphasised the financial advantage of local training, stating that educating students domestically costs only a third of sending them abroad, eliminating expenses such as air travel, visas and foreign living allowances.

“This results in substantial savings and allows us to train more students. It also strengthens local capacity and creates employment opportunities within the country,” Aminu added.

The programme received over 3,700 applications, but only 43 candidates were admitted to the first cohort. Aminu explained that the limited intake was a deliberate strategy to maintain quality and ensure a sustainable scale-up.

“We are just starting and want to grow sustainably. The decision is not due to regulatory limitations but our desire to manage quality effectively at this early stage,” he said.

The focus of research under the CPESK programme is aligned with industry priorities such as renewable energy, emissions reduction, and waste conversion, as Aminu explained that periodic skills audits inform the curriculum.

Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, noted that the NUC has played a critical role in ensuring the quality of the institution.

He confirmed that the college underwent resource verification, assessing infrastructure, facilities and staffing.

“The infrastructure meets global standards. We have approved for programmes to begin, with full accreditation to follow,” he said, adding that NUC oversight will continue to ensure standards are sustained.

He disclosed that NUC is reviewing curriculum across the country to align with the needs of the energy sector, given prevailing technology and artificial intelligence.

Among the scholars benefiting from the programme is Chukwudi Innocent Nweze, whose research focuses on gas flare detection and monitoring.

Nweze told reporters that developing a locally-built monitoring system could reduce costs for indigenous oil firms by up to 50 per cent.

“Gas flaring remains a major environmental and economic challenge. My research focuses on developing a real-time detection system that can monitor flaring continuously and optimise gas processing operations, using largely local components adapted to Nigeria’s operating environment,” he said.

Another scholar, Hauua Baffah Dukku, described the opportunity as transformative.

“It is a unique chance not only to earn a doctorate but to gain outstanding knowledge from UK universities while contributing to sustainability in Nigeria. This knowledge will enable us to provide innovative solutions to the oil and gas industry, positioning us as future leaders of the sector,” Dukku said.