The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Association of Nigeria (Pegassan) has expressed the need for researchers to focus on sustainable solutions to problems that affect the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
The president of Pengasan, Comrade Festus Osifo, made the call during an inspection of the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK), with members of the Central Work Committee of Pegassan (CWC) and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in the state of Kaduna.
Osifo, who pointed out that with the establishment of CPESK, more indigenous oil and gas workers could access world -class training, since financing gaps for foreign training would be joined by the need for investigation into areas that affect the oil industry and Nigerian gas.
He said: “People begin doctorate here in September. The research area must be areas that will clearly affect the Nigerian oil and gas industry; they must investigate areas that are affecting the industry.
“For example, oil theft could be a research area, and corporate theft in the Niger Delta could be a research area. We could choose how to mitigate environmental degradation as it happens today in the Niger delta. It could be a research area. Therefore, when the result arises, it is easier for the industry to adopt and implement that is what is happening throughout the world.
“Silicon Valley is thriving today because there are institutions that are built around the Silicon Valley area that supply human capital resources and also carry out research that is helping to solve today’s problems. Therefore, all we do not want is to let the investigation are not outdated, that they are investigations that are affecting today.
“But knowing PTDF, we know very well that all doctoral students who have sponsored before now, even for different parts of the world, have been responsible for solving some of the industry’s problems and industry challenges.
“Suppose you have, say, n20 million to send two people abroad, but with that same money, it could send 10 people to this university and they would have the same quality of education that they could have received abroad here.
“What that means is that we are reaching more Nigerian … we cannot match anything for the development of capacities and the development of human capital because the development of any nation is as strong and as solid as the human capital that has such a country. So, for us, we are totally excited to be part of this.
“We know the standards that PTDF has established over the years.” This is an institution in Nigeria that has been exemplary. It has demonstrated the fact that we can really provide service to the Nigerian people. This is one of those examples that we are witnessing here today.
“This building began in 2013, and this is one of the things that, for us in oil and gas, is also the fact that we are demonstrating that we do not abandon the projects. When we put our hearts on something, regardless of the challenges, we will deliver it. It is also a practical demonstration of the local content.”
The executive secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Ahmed Galadima Aminu, revealed that more than 2000 applicants have requested and examined to execute doctoral programs once it opens its doors to the public in September 2025.
Aminu, who revealed that more than 15,000 Nigerians have been sponsored by the PTDF to train abroad, explained that the dynamics of sponsoring oil workers abroad at a great cost for the country reported the creation of the university.
He argued that CPESK could be approved for Silicon Valley abroad, following its contents of the course and its strategic international association with three universities in the United Kingdom: University of Strathclyde, Robert Gordon University and University of Portsmouth.
According to him, the University was graduated by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as a private postgraduate institution to offer 19 academic programs in 6 departments and 3 faculties.
“I am pleased to inform you that the CPESK will admit that its first cohort of doctoral students in September 2025. We have just concluded the detection of applications, and successful candidates will soon be admitted to the following faculties: Faculty of Telecommunications Computing and Technology, Faculty of Land and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Energy Law and Management Management.
“These already insured associations will support the delivery of a postgraduate model of divided sites, where students will study mainly at CPESK in Kaduna, with brief academic stays in the associated universities in the United Kingdom,” he said.
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