FUPRE VC Woos Nigerian Youths On Opportunities In Gas Sector

The Vice-Chancellor, the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Warri in Delta State, Prof. Akpofure Rimi-Ruke has stressed the need for Nigeria to maximise opportunities in the gas sector to curb youth unemployment.

Rimi-Ruke made this known while speaking on the topic, “Virtual Gas Pipelines: A Comparative Model.” at the Nigerian Content Midstream – Downstream Oil and Gas Summit organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Tuesday in Lagos.

Rimi-Ruke noted that Nigeria was blessed with abundant gas resources which were yet to be harnessed for national growth and development.

He said virtual gas pipelines which means the transportation of gas across the country using modern trucks could provide employment opportunities for Nigerians.

To this end, he said FUPRE and TLOG, a Trinidad and Tobago-based oil and gas consultant, had set up the Gaspreneurs Centre of Excellence within the university.

The vice-chancellor said the centre offers courses in three categories aimed at improving safety in the transportation of natural gas and other petroleum-related products.

He noted that some recent gas explosions in the country were caused by a lack of training of the drivers and other personnel handling the product.

Rimi-Ruke said the training duration for tanker drivers was (three months), intermediate class (six months) and engineering class (nine months).

“What we are doing is that after training they can form a cluster across the value chain.

“We want to provide opportunities for Nigerians as it relates to transportation using the virtual gas pipeline.

“We believe that Nigerian youths can take up these opportunities to reduce poverty and contribute positively to the economy.”

Earlier, Abdulmalik Halilu, General Manager, Research and Statistics, NCDMB, said Nigeria could be transformed into a gas-powered economy with the right programmes and policies.

Halilu said the role of the NCDMB was to collaborate and support indigenous companies to increase their participation in the oil and gas sector and provide a better life for Nigerians.