…Relationships are an essential component of human capital development.
Felix Douglas
At the OGTAN event held in Warri, Delta State, the President, Chris Osarunmewense emphasised that the association treasure the potential of people who have developed human capital in nature to effectively operate within the oil and gas industry.
“It is my pleasure, on behalf of OGTAN, to warmly welcome you to this special conference networking event and most importantly, to the OGTAN Human Capital Development Conference and Exhibition 2026.”
Osarunmewense disclosed that the event is the first in a series of sessions in the conversation around how stakeholders can sustain and develop the workforce that will effectively deliver on the promises of the oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria.
According to the OGTAN President, “it is the moment when we pause from our respective organizations, businesses, institutions, and professional responsibilities, and come together as one community with a shared interest: the people who power Nigeria’s energy industry and the capabilities required to take the industry into the future.”
He described golf as interesting and fitting metaphor for human capital development.
It requires preparation, discipline, concentration, patience, strategy, and continuous improvement.
The OGTAN President said success does not come from one perfect shot; it comes from consistently making the right decisions, learning from mistakes, and improving on them again.
I therefore congratulate all participants, and particularly the winners of today’s tournament. Your achievements will be formally recognized this evening.
“But I believe everyone who participated is a winner, because you have contributed to strengthening the relationships and the community that underpin this conference. Congratulations to all our winners.”
Osarunmewense explained why the choice of Warri is meaningful. Warri is not simply a venue; it is part of the history of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The Niger Delta has, for decades, been at the heart of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
The history of petroleum exploration, production, processing, services, technical manpower, and community development in this region is deeply intertwined with the broader story of Nigeria’s energy economy.
The OGTAN President said Warri represents an important intersection of industry, technical capability, communities, institutions, and human capital.
“We therefore believe it is appropriate to bring international conversations about the future of oil and gas human capital development to a location that is itself embedded in the history and reality of the industry.”
Another reason was that OGTAN wants 2026 conference to move beyond the traditional conference venues and settings of Abuja and Lagos.
“We want to take the conversation to where the industry lives and works.
We want our colleagues, partners, and international guests to experience Nigeria not merely as a geographical location associated with petroleum production, but as a region of talent, enterprise, technical expertise, institutions, communities, and enormous human capital potential.”
The OGTAN President was pleased to be hosting the conference in collaboration with the Petroleum Training Institute, one of Nigeria’s foremost institutions for technical and professional training in the petroleum sector.
The OGTAN President said the conference makes Warri a fitting and particularly appropriate city for a conference focused on human capital development.
There could hardly be a more suitable environment for international conversations about developing the people who will power Nigeria’s clean energy future.
He said relationships are an essential component of human capital development.
Osarunmewense believed that the challenges before the industry are too complex for any single organization to solve.
“Government alone cannot solve it. Regulators cannot solve it alone. Oil and gas companies cannot solve it alone.”
“Training providers cannot solve it alone. Universities and technical institutions cannot do so alone either.”
The industry needs collaboration across the value chain.
“I encourage everyone here to use these two days not only to listen, but to reconnect and connect — meet someone you have never met before, explore a partnership, share an idea, identify competency gaps, discuss training solutions, and find an opportunity for collaboration.”
“Sometimes the most important outcome of a conference is not what happens on the podium; it is what happens between people after the formal sessions.”
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