The Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) took a decisive step towards addressing Nigeria’s widening energy-sector skills gap with the Academy Establishment Workshop in Lagos. In this interview with KINGSLEY JEREMIAH, NAPE President, Olajumoke Ajayi, said the initiative, backed by regulators, operating companies, service firms and development partners, will serve as a trusted, industry-owned pipeline for technically strong, industry-ready professionals.

What would you describe as the workshop’s most important achievements and how would the outcomes position the NAPE Academy to develop the next generation of professionals for Nigeria’s evolving energy sector?
The evolution of the NAPE Academy from an initial concept to a shared industry commitment marks a significant achievement. The workshop gave us a practical framework around which stakeholders can now organise their support. We have a proposed 18-month training programme, a tuition-free model, structured industry internships, location and accommodation considerations, a pathway toward professional certification and postgraduate progression, and an implementation roadmap. The discussions also brought curriculum, funding, governance and risk management into the same conversation. Together, these elements position the Academy to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industry readiness, while building a stronger pipeline of technically competent professionals for Nigeria’s evolving energy sector.

The workshop attracted stakeholders from across the industry. Were there any recommendations from the discussions that particularly excited you?
One of the key things that caught my interest was the level of ownership demonstrated by stakeholders.

The discussion was not simply about whether an academy should exist; participants were already engaging with how it should work its curriculum, governance, funding, location and partnerships. I was deeply encouraged by the emphasis on industry-academia collaboration and practical exposure.

The involvement, presence,l and goodwill of organisations within the energy sector such as NNPC Limited, NUPRC, FIRST E&P, PTDF and NCDMB also reinforced that this cannot be a NAPE-only project. The workshop was also sponsored by WAEP (West African Exploration and Production Company), BOCA, Ingentia Energies, Ankorpointe Integrated, Alpharetta Energy Services International Ltd, and DIBIJ Energy, reinforcing it as an industry-wide investment in people.

What are the immediate next steps and what milestones should stakeholders expect to see over the next two years as NAPE moves from planning to implementation?
The next step following the workshop is to move from consultation into structured implementation. The governance and legal framework will be formalised, the curriculum and facilitator model will be developed, the facility and accommodation arrangements will be formalised and the funding structure will be established. Over the implementation period, stakeholders should expect to see these components progressively formalised, culminating in the launch of the first cohort of the proposed 18-month programme.

What mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that the momentum generated during the workshop is sustained throughout the implementation phase?
Momentum has to be supported by accountability. The Academy Planning Committee will continue the work of translating the workshop recommendations into an implementation framework, with progress reported through the appropriate NAPE governance structures. We also need strong oversight of governance and finance, clear milestones and regular engagement with partners. Most importantly, the Academy has to be institutionalised to build structures that can carry the initiative forward as a lasting NAPE institution.

What challenges do you anticipate during the implementation phase and how does NAPE intend to overcome them?
The major challenges will include sustainable funding, infrastructure, governance, access to the right equipment and technology, and attracting facilitators who combine strong academic grounding with current industry experience. We also have to keep the curriculum relevant in a sector that is changing rapidly.

Our response is collaboration and disciplined implementation. We are engaging strategic institutions and industry partners, exploring appropriate funding models, and designing a curriculum that can evolve with technology and industry needs. We will also draw on experienced professionals and academic institutions to strengthen the facilitator and knowledge-transfer model.

One of the major highlights of the workshop was the decision to make it tuition free for students. What informed this decision, and how do you expect it to improve access to quality energy education?
This decision is very personal for me. Early in my own career, access to the right opportunity made a significant difference to my trajectory. There are many talented young Nigerians who have the ability and commitment to excel but may not have the resources to access specialised professional training after graduation. We want admission to be driven by aptitude, commitment and potential rather than ability to pay. Making the programme tuition-free, supported by industry investment, is therefore a deliberate way of widening access while maintaining a high standard of training.

The workshop also emphasised internships as a core component of the Academy’s training model. Why is practical industry experience so important in preparing graduates for today’s energy sector?
Young professionals need to understand how technical knowledge is applied to real problems, within real teams and under real industry standards. That is why practical industry exposure is built into the proposed Academy model rather than treated as an optional extra. The proposed three-to-six-month internship component can give participants exposure to professional workflows, mentoring and the realities of industry decision-making. The goal is to produce graduates who require less transition between training and productive professional work.

The Academy has a proposed location and a two-year implementation timeline. What are the key conditions that need to be in place to deliver this successfully?
The two-year timeline is ambitious but achievable with disciplined execution. The key priorities are securing the right governance and funding arrangements, developing the curriculum, progressing the facility requirements, and formalising strategic partnerships.

The workshop has given us greater clarity on these priorities, and the implementation will translate into clear workstreams, responsibilities, and milestones. Our focus is to maintain momentum while ensuring the Academy is sustainable and ready to deliver quality from its first intake.

The success of the Academy will depend heavily on collaboration. What role do you expect operating companies, service companies, government agencies, universities and development partners to play in bringing the vision to life?
Each stakeholder has a distinct and necessary role. Operating and service companies bring industry expertise, funding, technology, internships and employment pathways. Government agencies and regulators provide policy alignment and institutional support. Universities bring academic rigour, research capacity, facilities and potential progression pathways. Development partners can support specific areas such as equipment, digital infrastructure, scholarships and technical partnerships. The strength of the Academy will come from combining these capabilities rather than expecting one organisation to do everything.

Beyond traditional oil and gas education, will the academy incorporate areas such as artificial intelligence, digital technologies, carbon management, natural gas and other energy transition-related disciplines?
Absolutely. The Academy must prepare professionals for the emerging energy industry, not only for the industry of the past. The proposed curriculum is expected to extend beyond traditional geoscience and petroleum engineering into digital technologies, data analytics, and other areas that are reshaping subsurface work. This direction is consistent with NAPE’s wider professional-development agenda. For example, the 2026 NAPE Summer School is focused on co-opting AI and machine learning into existing upstream digital ecosystems, with applications across exploration, drilling and production. We also expect the Academy’s curriculum to evolve around natural gas, carbon management and broader energy-transition disciplines as industry needs develop.

As the first cohort of students prepare to enter the academy, what legacy do you hope it will leave for Nigeria’s energy industry over the next decade?
The legacy we hope for is an Academy that is a trusted, industry-owned pipeline for technically strong and industry-ready professionals. A decade from now, wewant to see its alumni contributing across Nigeria’s indigenous and international energy companies and progressing into leadership roles on merit. We also want the Academy to preserve and transfer the knowledge of experienced professionals to the next generation. Ultimately, its legacy should be measured in the people and the quality of professionals we develop, the opportunities we create for talented Nigerians, and the capacity we build within the country’s energy industry.

Will industry professionals participate directly in curriculum development and teaching? How important is the industry-academia partnership to the academy’s success?
Yes. It is central to the design. We want facilitators who combine academic grounding with current or recent industry experience, alongside university lecturers who provide academic structure. Industry professionals should also help shape the curriculum so that what is taught reflects the skills and competencies employers actually need. Without that partnership, we risk creating another programme that is disconnected from the workplace. With it, we can build a practical finishing school that complements university education and prepares people for professional practice.

What funding model emerged from the workshop to support the establishment and long-term sustainability of the Academy?
The direction emerging from the workshop is toward a sustainable, industry-supported funding model rather than reliance on one-off donations. One proposal under discussion is for companies to consider allocating a modest proportion of what they already spend on graduate and trainee development toward a shared Academy. The model would need to be properly structured, governed and agreed with participating stakeholders. It would also sit alongside potential institutional, government and development-partner support. The objective is to create a funding base that can sustain the Academy beyond any single administration or funding cycle.

Were there concrete funding commitments, partnerships or pledges from industry stakeholders? What are the next steps in securing financial support for the academy?
What the workshop clearly demonstrated was strong stakeholder goodwill and willingness to support the initiative. We also heard specific institutional support and are continuing discussions around strategic partnerships, facilities and other forms of collaboration. The immediate next step is to engage stakeholders individually and convert that goodwill into specific, documented commitments and partnerships. 

If you were to make a direct appeal to industry leaders and potential sponsors today, what would you ask them to contribute to ensure that the NAPE Academy becomes a world-class institution for energy education in Nigeria?
My appeal is simple: treat this as an investment in the future of Nigeria’s energy industry, an investment in individuals who would drive positive change for Nigeria’s energy future. We seek companies’ support towards the Academy financially, but also with what money cannot buy on its own: experienced professionals willing to teach and mentor, access to technology and facilities, internship opportunities, technical content and participation in governance. If we want a strong indigenous energy industry tomorrow, we have to deliberately build the people who will lead it today. The NAPE Academy is an opportunity for the industry to do that collectively and sustainably.