Nigeria LNG Limited has announced that its $10 billion Train-7 gas project on Bonny Island, Rivers State, is now 80% complete.

This marks an increase from 67% completion reported in June 2024.

The company noted that as the project nears its final construction phase, it will require highly skilled technical personnel due to the advanced engineering and complex liquefaction technology involved.

The NLNG’s General Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, made this disclosure in Port Harcourt during the launch of a three-month advanced human capital development program for 140 trainees.

The initiative, organized by NLNG Limited in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, supports the ongoing Bonny Island project.

She said, “The construction of the $10bn NLNG Train 7 Project, which involves very advanced technology, has reached 80 per cent completion, and highly skilled technical manpower is still being required.”

She reiterated the company’s dedication to nurturing a pool of skilled Nigerian professionals in the oil and gas industry through a joint human capital development effort with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.

Horsfall highlighted that the backing of NCDMB has been vital in helping NLNG carry out a robust capacity-building program aimed at developing a highly professional and technically skilled workforce to support Nigeria’s energy transition and sustain its long-term competitiveness.

“The inauguration of this batch is a reaffirmation of NLNG’s unwavering commitment to human capital development,” she said, describing the on-the-job training component as a “robust and advanced hands-on programme” that would immerse participants in real-time operational experience at the NLNG’s Bonny Island facilities.

She explained that the 140 graduates had completed a 12-month Basic Training Programme focused on oil and gas industry skills and are now progressing to the practical phase, which includes Turn Around Maintenance, commissioning activities, and technical desktop assignments at NLNG’s plants.

Horsfall noted that this initiative aligns with the company’s wider goal of enhancing local capacity and building a workforce prepared to meet the changing needs of the energy sector.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, described the programme as a landmark effort to build a resilient and globally competitive oil and gas workforce.

Represented by the Board’s Manager of Human Capital Development, Tarilate Teide-Bribena, Ogbe said the training was more than a milestone—it was “a clear expression of our shared commitment to nurturing world-class Nigerian professionals who will shape the future of our oil and gas industry.”

He added that over 400 Nigerians have already completed the basic training phase, gaining technical and vocational skills tailored to current industry demands.

Ogbe said, “We are now advancing even further by formally launching the on-the-job component of the NLNG Train 7 NC-HCD Programme, which will give 140 bright and promising Nigerians direct, practical exposure within NLNG’s operational facilities.”

He commended NLNG as “a reliable and forward-thinking partner” for consistently exceeding Nigerian Content requirements and spearheading national capacity-building initiatives.

He also praised the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) for ensuring that training programs and delivery meet real industry demands, emphasizing OGTAN’s vital role in closing the gap between academic training and practical workplace skills.

“Through this partnership,” Ogbe added, “we are ensuring that trainees are not only educated but are industry-ready, capable of delivering value from day one.”

It was previously reported that the Train 7 project is expected to boost NLNG’s production capacity by 35%, increasing it from the current 22 million tonnes per annum to 30 million tonnes per annum.