The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced the training for 35 researchers in computational catalysis in order to facilitate and accelerate Nigeria’s industrial growth.

The workshop to accomplish the task was organised by PTDF in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

Besides, the theme of the workshop is,  “Why It Matters: Opportunities for Research, Industry, and National Development in Nigeria.”

The training is specifically aimed to address Nigeria’s industrial challenges with homegrown solutions and reduce over-reliance on foreign expertise.

Speaking at the event held at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, the Special Guest of Honour and PTDF Executive Secretary, Prof. Shu’aibu Shehu-Aliyu, said the workshop sought to equip participants to translate scientific research into practical solutions.

The Executive Secretary, who was represented by Hajiya Rabi Waziri, General Manager, Education and Training, said the workshop was designed to drive industrial growth and development.

Shehu-Aliyu noted that computational catalysis had become an essential tool for advancing research in the petroleum, petrochemical, and energy sectors and beyond.

According to him, “computational catalysis improves efficiency and accelerates innovation.”

The Executive Secretary added that PTDF remains committed to building indigenous human capacity and promoting research and technological advancement for Nigeria’s oil, gas, and energy sectors.

“For a country like Nigeria, where energy resources are central to economic growth and sustainability, building capacity in advanced and specialised fields is critical,” he said.

According to him, in line with this objective, the Fund established a PTDF Professorial Chair Programme at ABU Zaria and five other universities nationwide.

He noted that PTDF was strategically focused on addressing key industry challenges and supporting national development.

Meanwhile, in his remarks, ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed said,   “the institution is more than a place of learning; it is a national institution built on the conviction that indigenous knowledge and homegrown expertise, which are the foundation of a truly sovereign nation.”

The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by Prof. Bello Sabo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Administration, insisted  that “this workshop embodies that conviction.”

“It is a deliberate investment in Nigeria’s capacity to understand, design, and optimise the catalytic systems that underpin our petroleum industry, petrochemical sector, and emerging clean energy ambitions, using computational tools developed and applied in Nigeria by Nigerian scientists”, he added.

“Nigeria is the largest oil-producing nation on the continent. Yet, we remain dependent on foreign technical expertise for catalyst design, process modelling, and computational optimisation”, the VC further stressed.

“This is not a statement of failure — it is an opportunity. It is precisely this opportunity that the PTDF Chair in Chemical Engineering was established to address”, he added.

Besides, earlier, the PTDF Chair Professor at ABU, Prof. Abdulazeez Yusuf-Atta also explained that the 35 participants were not selected by accident, saying “they were chosen from a competitive field because of their research, innovation, and commitment to advancing science in Nigeria.”

“A molecule, under the right conditions on the right catalyst surface, can be transformed into propylene — a building block for plastics, fibres, and industrial chemicals worth billions of dollars,” he said.

Yusuf-Atta said the workshop drew participants from across Nigeria and beyond, including one from the Republic of Chad.

He stressed the need to sustain the training for the growth of nation’s industries, while suggesting that researchers spend more time on computers to reduce laboratory experiments and save money, time, and energy.

“It guides you to a more specific area before you go into the lab. So, it saves cost, time, and energy for a country like Nigeria,” he noted.

On the workshop’s goal, Yusuf-Atta said the Fund wanted to build a critical mass of experts in Nigeria “who can use computational catalysis to solve problems”.

“We have started now. Participants are drawn from various parts of the country. They will return home and cascade the knowledge. They will be like trainers of trainers, he added.”