The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Coppercrux Limited, has launched a five-day awareness and capacity-building workshop in Port Harcourt to equip South-South youths with knowledge and skills in compressed natural gas (CNG) technologies and value chain opportunities.
The opening day of the training featured sessions on “Introduction to CNG and Energy Transition: Awareness, Importance and Benefits,” “Presidential CNG Initiative: An Overview,” and “Economic Opportunities for Youths in the Green Energy Sector.” The highly interactive sessions allowed participants to engage directly with industry experts.
In his welcome address, NCDMB Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by Deputy Manager Kingsley Neyin, described the workshop as a strategic step in the Board’s mandate of capacity building and the implementation of the Presidential CNG Initiative.
He urged the 50 participants to seize the opportunity, stressing that CNG offers enormous potential for personal advancement, job creation, and industrial growth in Nigeria’s energy sector. “Some participants will find employment while others may become entrepreneurs,” he said, adding that youths should register their skills and capacities with the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS).
Delivering the first presentation, Professor Aminu Bayawa Muhammad of Usmanu Danfodio University explained that CNG is a proven transition fuel with multiple benefits, including environmental sustainability, lower costs, and higher engine efficiency. He noted that while the global shift to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind is ongoing, CNG remains an essential bridge fuel for Nigeria’s energy transition.
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Dr. Dagwon Y. Wang of ANAN University outlined the Federal Government’s deliberate push for CNG adoption through the Presidential Initiative, highlighting its role in cutting emissions, lowering transport costs, and creating investment opportunities. He revealed that participants would also undergo practical sessions in CNG conversion centres to deepen their understanding of the technology and its value chains.
Speaking on entrepreneurial opportunities, green energy facilitator Adejo Joshua pointed to vast possibilities in CNG manufacturing, vehicle conversion, component supply, equipment servicing, retrofitting centres, eco-friendly product design, distribution, and IT-driven solutions. He described green energy as “not just a climate solution, but a youth empowerment accelerator.”
The workshop, which continues at La Trinite Event Hall in Eliozu, Port Harcourt, attracted enthusiastic responses from participants. One of them, Mrs. Eniola Shittu, praised the NCDMB and facilitators for “opening up a world of possibilities” through the training.
The initiative comes at a time when Nigeria is intensifying efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, promote clean energy, and position its youth as key drivers of the country’s green economy.
