Indigenous Energy Firm Backs Local Engineers on Localisation for Global Edge

Oando Plc has endorsed efforts to support local engineers through localisation initiatives in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The company stated that prioritising Nigerian talent and local content development could help the industry compete more effectively on the global stage.

The company made this known when members of the Nigerian Institution of Petroleum Engineers (NIPetE) visited Oando’s Lagos head office on Monday.

Discussions covered local capacity development, technology adoption, and Nigeria’s position in global energy markets.

Oando Energy Resources managing director, Dr Ainojie ‘Alex’ Irune, stated that globalisation involves localisation.

The meeting addressed Nigeria’s engineering sector amid global trends toward domestic capabilities and value retention.

Irune said countries building their own capacity gain advantages.

He noted that leading economies were increasingly investing in domestic capabilities, from technology development to data infrastructure, to retain value and strengthen resilience.

“Countries that build their own capacity will have the advantage,” he said, pointing to a growing shift towards self-sufficiency in critical sectors.

Talks examined indigenous engineering solutions and their application in industry.

A locally developed reservoir simulation software was presented as an option to international platforms.

Oando noted it would evaluate such tools in operations, highlighting the impact of using foreign solutions on the economy.

“We are open to engaging with and testing locally developed solutions within our operations,” Irune said. “If we rely on foreign solutions when we have local capability, we are sending value out of our economy, ” he added.

The meeting also covered aligning academic training with industry needs, including data, artificial intelligence, and computational skills. Irune said global changes require deliberate capacity building from education to application.

NIPetE chairperson, Dr Yetunde Aladeitan, said the visit sought to foster collaboration for the industry adoption of Nigerian engineers and solutions.

She added that NIPetE was expanding training to support local content.

Both sides discussed collaborating on skills development and knowledge sharing to strengthen Nigeria’s engineering ecosystem.