The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has announced that its flagship Train 7 gas expansion project, valued at $10 billion and located on Bonny Island, Rivers State, has reached 80 percent completion.
This marks a significant milestone, improving from the 67 percent completion status reported in June 2024. The company disclosed that the project, which features advanced engineering and complex liquefaction technology, is now entering its final construction phase and will require a high volume of skilled technical professionals.
Speaking during the inauguration of 140 trainees for a three-month advanced human capital development programme in Port Harcourt, NLNG’s General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, highlighted the project’s scale and its potential to strengthen Nigeria’s energy industry.
“The construction of the $10 billion Train 7 Project, which involves sophisticated technology, has reached 80 percent completion. Highly skilled manpower remains a key requirement as we move toward the final stages,” Horsfall said.
The training programme is a joint initiative between NLNG and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), aimed at deepening local capacity and grooming a workforce ready to meet the demands of the evolving oil and gas industry.
Horsfall reaffirmed NLNG’s commitment to human capital development, stating that the latest batch of trainees had already undergone a 12-month basic training programme in oil and gas skills and would now move on to hands-on experience at the Bonny Island plant.
“The on-the-job training includes exposure to Turn Around Maintenance, commissioning activities, and technical assignments that will prepare them for long-term careers in the industry,” she explained.
She added that the initiative aligns with NLNG’s vision of building a resilient pipeline of Nigerian professionals equipped to support the country’s energy transition and drive long-term competitiveness.
The ongoing capacity-building initiative, which began in November 2024, had earlier enrolled 331 participants in Batch A and 77 in Batch B, covering areas such as engineering, ICT, QA/QC, health and safety, supply chain management, data analytics, and welding and fabrication.
Also speaking at the event, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Mr. Felix Ogbe—represented by the Board’s Manager of Human Capital Development, Tarilate Teide-Bribena—described the programme as a landmark investment in the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas workforce.
“This isn’t just another milestone; it’s a clear demonstration of our shared commitment to building globally competitive Nigerian professionals for the energy sector,” Ogbe said.
He noted that over 400 trainees had completed the foundational phase, gaining vital technical and vocational skills, and that the newly launched on-the-job phase would provide real-time exposure to operations within NLNG facilities.
Ogbe also commended NLNG as a model partner in Nigerian Content development and praised the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) for helping align the curriculum with real-world industry needs.
The Train 7 project is expected to expand NLNG’s production capacity by 35 percent, increasing output from 22 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 30mtpa.
NLNG shareholders reached a final investment decision on Train 7 on December 27, 2019, and awarded the EPC contracts on May 13, 2020, to the SCD JV Consortium—comprising affiliates of Saipem, Chiyoda, and Daewoo. The groundbreaking ceremony was virtually flagged off by former President Muhammadu Buhari on June 15, 2021.
According to NLNG, the project will attract over $10 billion in investment across the LNG value chain, significantly boosting Nigeria’s foreign direct investment profile and reinforcing investor confidence in the country’s energy sector.
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