Uche Usim and Marcus Nkire, Abuja
In its quest to boost technological advancement in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Danvic Petroleum International Nigeria have secured a $1.2 million, (N610 million), seismic interpretation software and geosciences workstations for six Nigerian universities as a way of boosting knowledge in oil and gas exploration in Nigeria.
At an unveiling/training ceremony for university lecturers in Abuja on Tuesday, on the OpendTect seismic interpretation software, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, listed the six beneficiary university to be; Niger-Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State; Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State; and Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State.
Others, he said are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State; Federal University of Technology, Akure and the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to him, the software and geosciences workstations were provided for the institutions of learning by ExxonMobil, South Atlantic Petroleum, Sapetro and Chevron.
He said, “We will continue to partner with Danvic Petroleum and her overseas partner, dGB Earth Sciences, Netherlands. We are indeed pleased that dGB Earth Sciences provided the OpendTect seismic interpretation software free of charge. It is worthwhile emphasizing that the cost of this software for the six universities, amount to over $1.2 million.”
The NCDMB boss further disclosed that the NCDMB was sponsoring the training of 18 lecturers from the six universities on the use of the software and as part of support for improving education in the area of geosciences/geology.
In his remarks at the event, the Managing Director of Danvic Petroleum, Dr. Mayowa Afe, explained that the decision to train the lecturers was in view of the fact that the knowledge of the software by the university lecturers, would certainly lead to the enhancement of the training of students in geology and geophysics.
He noted that this would make the students more employable and relevant to the needs of the oil and gas industry after graduation.
Afe declared that Danvic Petroleum and its partners were committed to the provision of subsequent upgrade at no cost to the universities, adding that they would continue to give the necessary support to the university free of charge after training the lecturers.
He noted that by the end of the training programme, Danvic, its partner and the NCDMB would have been able to increase the employment potential of students after graduation, thereby reducing their exposure to violent and criminal activities.
It would also enable them validate the skills and knowledge of the country’s lecturers for effective training and teaching of future geoscientists, as well as deepen specialization with a widely used automated tool in the oil and gas market.
He called on the Federal Government and its agencies, as well as other stakeholders to continue to invest more in Nigerian universities rather than only sending out graduates to foreign universities for advanced studies.
He said, “It is also important that our university curriculum is reviewed to reflect the realities of today and the needs of present day employers. This will help increase the employment potentials of our graduates. This is a proposal I will put forward for NCDMB consideration.”