Nigeria is taking a bold step to strengthen its energy sector with the launch of the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Kaduna. This initiative is spearheaded by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in partnership with the University of Portsmouth and other top UK institutions.
The new college, owned by the PTDF, is designed to be a hub for advanced training and research in the energy industry, not only for Nigeria but for the entire African region. Its programs will include postgraduate courses in Engineering, Applied & Earth Sciences, Computing & Telecommunication Technology, Health, Safety & Environment, and Business Management. These courses will be delivered through an International Joint Venture framework, combining global expertise with local relevance.
During a recent inspection of the facility, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, expressed satisfaction with the college’s state-of-the-art infrastructure. He noted the significant savings in foreign exchange that the institution is expected to achieve by offering world-class training locally instead of sending students abroad.
The National Universities Commission has granted the college a license to operate as a private postgraduate university. It will initially offer 19 programs across three faculties and six departments. Senator Lokpobiri remarked:
“It is quite pleasing, at a time like this when the global energy system is rapidly transforming and in search of alternatives, to create this long-term partnership with the University of Portsmouth that essentially defines shared commitment and vision.
“I am equally delighted to emphasize the importance of this collaboration in our various efforts of translating into action the renewed hope agenda of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is pertinent to note that my presence in Portsmouth is a demonstration of the level of support this collaboration enjoys from the Nigerian Government.
“The College is aimed at serving as a vehicle to accelerate the domestication process of PTDF’s Human Capacity Development Programmes. In this way, the standards and quality that PTDF scholars enjoy abroad will be retained.”
Ahmed Galadima Aminu, the PTDF’s Executive Secretary, highlighted the significance of the partnership, describing it as a pivotal milestone in the Fund’s mission to localize high-quality education and training in the oil and gas sector:
“We have nurtured for many years the relationship with the University of Portsmouth (UoP) anchored on shared ideas that culminated in signing the MoU and Partnership Agreement. The PTDF visit to Portsmouth on the 16th of April in 2019 to explore the possibility of partnership made significant impact in shaping our understanding and the intention to obtain a licence from the National Universities Commission to run postgraduate programmes in Kaduna.
“PTDF, as the Proprietor of the College, is fundamentally committed to ensure that CPESK adheres to global best practice and approved international quality assurance standards.”
The partnership also includes agreements with Robert Gordon University and the University of Strathclyde. These collaborations reflect PTDF’s strategy to work with world-class institutions to elevate Nigeria’s human capacity in the energy sector.
By bridging the knowledge gap and equipping professionals with cutting-edge skills, the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies is poised to drive growth and innovation in Nigeria’s energy industry, setting a new standard for capacity development in Africa.
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