Source: Punch Newspaper
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to strengthening its collaboration with the Nigerian Institution of Petroleum Engineers (NIPetE) in order to enhance the oil and gas sector through capacity development.
During a recent meeting in Abuja with a delegation led by NIPetE’s National Chairman, Prisca Kanebi, Lokpobiri underscored the ministry’s willingness to partner with the institution in key areas such as capacity building within universities and improving professional practices aimed at increasing and maintaining oil production in Nigeria.
Kanebi extended a formal invitation to the minister for NIPetE’s 3rd annual conference, scheduled for October 31 and November 1 at the Abuja Continental Hotel. She highlighted the institution’s objectives, including fostering collaboration between industry and academia, monitoring educational and professional standards, and urging major oil companies to sponsor training equipment and laboratory facilities in universities.
Kanebi further pointed out NIPetE’s initiative to arrange sabbaticals for academic petroleum engineers with leading Nigerian exploration and production companies. This, she explained, would enable academic experts to offer fresh perspectives on operational challenges within the industry.
In response, Lokpobiri expressed concern over Nigeria’s current low oil production levels, emphasizing the importance of leveraging NIPetE’s expertise to address these challenges and boost oil output, which is crucial for the country’s economic development. He acknowledged the significant investments in industry capacity but noted that results have been modest, calling for a new strategy to ensure the sector’s success.
The minister also confirmed his attendance at the upcoming NIPetE conference and suggested establishing a collaborative agenda with the institution, to be reviewed quarterly, as a means of guiding the partnership’s future direction.
