Nigeria Needs Skilled Welders To Achieve Iron & Steel Potential – NBTE

Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, has said Nigeria’s iron and steel industry cannot achieve its full potential without a steady supply of highly skilled welders.

He said the NBTE had assessed and approved the Soldamatic training package for adoption in polytechnics across the country.

Bugaje disclosed this in Abuja during the unveiling and certificate presentation ceremony for graduates of the Soldamatic Augmented Reality Welding Training Programme at the Whitecloud TVET Academy.

He said welding remained a critical component of industrialisation, serving as the foundation for steel production, oil and gas infrastructure, construction projects, pipelines and manufacturing activities.

He noted that welders were imported from India during the construction of the Dangote Refinery, while projects such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline exposed significant local capacity gaps.

“The iron and steel industry cannot function without welders because steel sheets cannot perform their intended functions unless they are welded together to form columns, pipes and other structures required by industry. As we speak today, Nigeria is still importing welders from overseas.

In the oil and gas industry in Warri and Port Harcourt, professionals from countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines are working both onshore and offshore in welding-related jobs,” he said.

Prof. Bugaje described the graduation as a major milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to bridge technical skills gaps and build a workforce capable of supporting the country’s industrial ambitions.

In his remarks, the chairman and chief executive officer of Whitecloud TVET Solutions Limited, Mr. Netufo Jasper Oluranti, said the training programme was designed to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) while preparing young Nigerians for opportunities in an evolving industrial economy. He explained that the pioneer cohort, sponsored by Ways and Wills Concept Limited, received intensive training in Welding and Fabrication Technology using the Soldamatic Augmented Reality Welding system.

According to Jasper, the programme combines 40 per cent digital simulation with 60 per cent hands-on practical workshop experience, enabling trainees to develop both theoretical knowledge and practical competence.