The Petroleum Technology Development Fund says its primary contribution to the transformation of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remains human capital development, with emphasis on digital skills, energy transition and industry-driven research.

The acting executive secretary of PTDF, Ahmadu Danupawa, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the 26th Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum 2026, organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Mr Danupawa said the fund’s key interventions included postgraduate training programmes and the establishment of centres of excellence in Kaduna and Port Harcourt.

“Our intervention also includes specialised capacity building in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and the Internet of Things,” he said.

The PTDF boss said the fund was also strengthening partnerships and promoting linkages between academia and industry to ensure research outputs addressed practical challenges in the sector.

According to him, there is a need to address operational bottlenecks, improve regulatory timelines and deepen collaboration among stakeholders to unlock investment and drive sustainable growth.

Mr Danupawa described the Oloibiri Lecture Series as a critical platform for dialogue and expressed optimism that deliberations at the forum would yield actionable recommendations to guide policy and industry practice. He reaffirmed PTDF’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote capacity development and long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s energy industry.

The PTDF boss said success in the sector was no longer defined by production volumes alone but by how efficiently technology was integrated, assets optimised, and capital deployed within an enabling regulatory environment.

He noted that Nigeria’s oil and gas industry had recorded significant progress following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, citing improved investor confidence, clearer regulatory structures and a more competitive fiscal regime.

Mr Danupawa added that the adoption of digital technologies, including automation and data analytics, was transforming operations, reducing costs and improving decision-making across the value chain.

He also highlighted growing momentum in the gas sector, noting that ongoing initiatives to expand infrastructure and utilisation were supporting industrialisation, enhancing energy access and positioning Nigeria in the global energy transition.

The executive secretary, however, said that achieving national production and competitiveness targets would require a holistic approach that integrates innovation, funding and responsive policies.

(NAN)