- TotalEnergies says Nigeria’s energy sustainability requires investing in human capital alongside hydrocarbons.
- The company stressed aligning education with energy transition needs, while the SPE Nigeria Council urged bold, inclusive leadership to reshape the nation’s energy landscape.
TotalEnergies has said Nigeria’s present and future energy sustainability depends not only on hydrocarbons but also on developing human resources.
Victor Bandele, Deputy Managing Director of Deepwater Asset at TotalEnergies EP Nigeria, made the remarks on Wednesday, August 6, during a panel at the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ (SPE) 2025 Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition in Lagos.
Bandele highlighted the company’s graduate trainee programme with the Institute of Petroleum and Energy Studies (IPES) at the University of Port Harcourt, which trains young people for careers in the oil and gas industry.
He said TotalEnergies has anchored its 63-year presence in Nigeria partly on investments in human capital. “We believe so much in people,” Bandele said. “Our educational policies must align with the energy transition because the skills we need today will not be the same in the future.”
The company has funded IPES for years and assigned its directors as mentors. About 40 graduates now work for TotalEnergies, while others have secured positions across Nigeria and abroad.
Earlier, SPE Nigeria Council Chairperson Amina Danmadami said bold and inclusive leadership must reshape Nigeria’s energy landscape. “The future of energy will be shaped mainly by investments and sound leadership,” she said.
The 2025 SPE NAICE, themed “Building a Sustainable Energy Future: Leveraging Technology, Supply Chain, Human Resources, and Policy,” hosted two leadership panels, more than 80 exhibitors, and sessions on gas monetisation, pipeline reliability, infrastructure optimisation, and digital transformation. Discussions also addressed local capacity development and environmental stewardship.