One hundred young Nigerian graduates on Thursday began a two-year Graduate Internship Programme jointly sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Renaissance Africa Energy Company (RAEC) Limited, and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN).
The initiative, tagged 2025/2027 NCDMB/PETAN/Renaissance Graduate Internship Programme, is designed to equip young professionals with critical skills, practical experience, and industry exposure needed to thrive in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
The interns, drawn from diverse disciplines such as engineering, geology, information and communication technology (ICT), and the natural sciences, will be deployed to PETAN member companies for structured, hands-on training.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Renaissance Residential Area Club Hall, Port Harcourt, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the initiative as a “strategic contribution to national efforts toward deepening human capacity development and promoting sustainable local participation in Nigeria’s energy value chain.”
Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, Human Capacity Development, Mr. Esueme Dan Kikile, Esq., noted that while asset ownership and infrastructure development remain vital, human capacity is the cornerstone of sustainable national growth.
“The Board will continue to champion initiatives that promote knowledge transfer, skills enhancement, and capacity retention within Nigeria,” he said, reaffirming the NCDMB’s vision of a globally competitive and technologically advanced energy industry anchored on strong local participation.
He commended Renaissance Africa Energy and PETAN for sustaining the internship scheme, which was initiated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and is now in its second edition, for aligning with the Board’s local content development objectives.
Ogbe urged the interns to seize the opportunity with discipline and diligence, emphasizing that they represent the next generation of professionals poised to sustain Nigeria’s energy future.
In a joint presentation, Dr. Okey Ukaegbu and Mr. Chinedu Maduaku, representing PETAN, highlighted that the programme aims to foster innovation, operational excellence, and knowledge exchange between industry veterans and emerging professionals.
They added that the interns’ deployment across PETAN member companies would strengthen indigenous participation and help bridge skill gaps in the sector.
Also speaking, the General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Renaissance Africa Energy, Mr. Kene Akubue, described the partnership as a progressive step toward building a more inclusive and skilled local workforce.
“This collaboration demonstrates our shared commitment to developing human capital and ensuring that Nigerian youths are better positioned to contribute meaningfully to the oil and gas industry,” Akubue said.
The Graduate Internship Programme is part of the broader national content agenda aimed at empowering Nigerian youths, enhancing local capacity, and ensuring sustainable growth in the energy industry.
