Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has unveiled a Centre for Marine and Offshore Technology Development (CMOTD) in Rivers State.
NCDMB was established to promote the growth of Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry. It is responsible for implementing the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, which aims to increase local participation in the sector.
The Centre for Marine and Offshore Technology Development forms a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to promote the growth and adoption of marine and offshore technologies, research, and training under the NOGICD Act.
The centre is dedicated to training and developing personnel for the marine and offshore industries. It also offers programmes designed to equip graduates with the skills and knowledge needed for the offshore oil and gas sector and related fields.
Unveiling the facility, which had already commenced the training of about 305 students, at the premises of the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Felix Ogbe, highlighted the benefits of the centre in human capacity and nation building.
Ogbe, who was led round the facility by Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, and management of CMOTD, said NCDMB, through its various units and initiatives, collaborated with CMOTD to ensure that Nigerian content principles were implemented and advanced in the marine and offshore technology sector.
Speaking with journalists at the event, Chief Executive Officer of CMOTD, Mr. VitalisAhiakwo, said the centre was established with the objective of closing the gaps within the oil and gas industry and blue economy.
Ahiakwo explained that currently the centre was running programmes on ship building, automation, data analysis, transformer repairs and maintenance, and international class welding.
He stressed, “With the ‘Back to Creek, Forward with Skills!’ initiative of the NCDMB, CMOTD is strengthening Nigeria’s future through research and training in oil, gas, marine, and offshore infrastructure.”
He added that the initiative would address Nigeria’s national technical capacity gap in marine, offshore, and energy infrastructure with inclusive, practical, high-impact professional training.
Ahiakwo listed the programmes to include, “Practical Ship Design & Construction (with AVEVA Marine), Subsea Design & Offshore Structures, Oil Well Optimisation, Big Data Analytics for Energy Systems, Floating Systems, ROVs, and Simulation Labs, as well as Customised Technical Short Courses for all levels.”
He called on university graduates from any field, polytechnic students, technical institute graduates, and non-degree holders to access the facility for training, saying, “It is also open to young professionals, upskilling workers, and all Nigerians nationwide.”
Equally speaking, Chairman, Management Board of CMOTD, Dr. Sylvanus Eferebo, disclosed that in the interim, NCDMB had stepped in to subsidise the cost of the training for people to participate.
Eferebo said, “The pioneer students, the flagship students we have here are from the board.”
Eferebo, who is also National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects, “The good thing is, the international certification, the software licenses, the partnerships, all these costs are being subsidised because of the intervention of the NCDMB under the policy of the new back-to-creek project.”
He added, “The board has realised the critical need for the gap in this sector to be closed. Right now, we have a total of 305 students across various programmes here under the sponsorship of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.”
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