The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Zigma Limited, has graduated 50 Nigerians trained in crane operations, strengthening the pool of local technical personnel available for Nigeria’s oil and gas, construction and industrial sectors.

 

The beneficiaries emerged from 355 applicants who expressed interest in the Crane Operations Operator Level I and II Programme sponsored by NCDMB and facilitated by Zigma Limited.

 

Presenting the project report at the graduation ceremony on Friday, Zigma’s Project Manager, Amy Nwadiaro, said 65 applicants were shortlisted for physical screening after the 355 applications were received, while 50 candidates were eventually selected for the programme.

 

“The response to this initiative was overwhelming. We received a total of 355 applications from interested candidates across different backgrounds. Following a rigorous review process, 65 applicants were shortlisted and invited for a physical screening exercise,” Nwadiaro said.

 

She explained that the screening assessed the applicants’ eligibility, commitment and readiness for the programme, adding that all 50 selected participants successfully completed the four-week course.

 

“I am pleased to report that all 50 participants successfully completed the programme and are graduating today,” she added.

 

The programme, which ran from July 6 to July 31, 2026, was designed to combine classroom learning with practical sessions to prepare the participants for actual work environments where crane operations require technical competence and strict adherence to safety standards.

 

The curriculum covered crane operating principles, lifting operations, equipment inspection, load handling techniques, signalling and communication, hazard identification, risk assessment and Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) best practices.

 

Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Omoshola, an officer of the Board, Halvin Okonmah, said the programme reflected the Board’s commitment to developing Nigerians for technical roles and deepening local capacity in the energy sector.

 

Okonmah said NCDMB remained committed to strengthening business capacity, driving innovation and promoting sustainable growth across the energy sector.

 

“This event will foster stronger partnerships, inspire fresh ideas and deepen the development of skilled local capacity for the benefit of our industry and our nation,” he said.

 

He urged the graduates to uphold the Board’s core values of patriotism, professionalism, integrity, creativity, passion and teamwork as they pursue careers in the industry.

 

For Zigma Limited, the initiative demonstrated the importance of developing competent personnel alongside Nigeria’s expanding industrial infrastructure.

 

The company’s Managing Director, Funmi Ogbue, represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Ojinika Mba-Kalu, described the graduation as “a celebration of transformation and discipline” rather than merely the conclusion of a training programme.

 

Ogbue said the company believed that sustainable industrial development depended not only on physical infrastructure but also on the quality of people equipped to operate and manage it.

 

“At Zigma Limited, we believe that the greatest investment any organisation can make is an investment in people. Infrastructure may build industries, but skilled people build nations,” she said.

 

She said the programme demonstrated what could be achieved when government, industry and individuals worked together to develop Nigerian talent.

 

“This is a testament to what can be achieved when institutions, industry and individuals unite around a common purpose: building the capacity of Nigerians to compete, excel and lead within our nation’s oil and gas industry,” Ogbue said.

 

She urged the graduates to continue learning and to distinguish themselves through integrity, competence, humility and adherence to safety standards.

 

“The industry is looking for competent people who can be trusted with responsibility. Let your conduct distinguish you wherever your careers take you,” she said.

 

Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Engr. Evidence Ojie thanked NCDMB and Zigma Limited for the opportunity, saying the programme provided participants with critical knowledge needed for crane operations in offshore and industrial environments.

 

According to Ojie, the training exposed participants to boom set-up, working range calculations, load charts and safety margins, among other technical areas.

 

He described the programme as evidence that Nigerian Content development was being translated from policy into practical opportunities for Nigerians.

 

Ojie said the knowledge acquired would enable the graduates to compete for opportunities on rigs, decks and platforms, while pledging the cohort’s commitment to professionalism and safety.

 

Stakeholders at the ceremony also emphasised the importance of competent crane operators to workplace safety, accident prevention and operational efficiency, particularly in sectors where lifting operations involve heavy equipment and significant occupational risks.

 

The graduation therefore marks not only the completion of the four-week programme by the 50 beneficiaries, but another step in efforts by government and industry players to increase the number of Nigerians with specialised competencies required to participate safely and effectively in critical areas of the country’s industrial economy.