As northern states push for oil and gas exploration through the Frontier Exploration Fund, a new academy has been sited in Bauchi State where the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited announced last week it will resume exploration activities.

For over three decades, the northern part of the country has been pushing to become an oil-producing region with exploration ongoing in Nasarawa, Borno, and the Gongola basin, which falls between Bauchi and Gombe.

To prepare the skill sets necessary for possible commercial oil activities, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has formally launched the construction of the permanent site for the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy, Alkaleri (BOGAA).

The project, initiated by the Bauchi State Government, is seen as a strategic step toward supporting the Federal Government’s broader human capital development agenda for the oil and gas industry.

Lokpobiri described the development as Nigeria’s effort to bolster local expertise in the energy sector.

At the flag-off ceremony, the Minister described the Academy as a timely initiative aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to maximise output from all viable oil platforms, including the Kolmani Integrated Development Projects.

He noted that a robust energy sector hinges not only on resource exploitation but on the skilled workforce capable of managing it.

Commending Bauchi State’s proactive stance, he said the Academy positions the state as a key player in shaping Nigeria’s energy future.

Lokpobiri also noted the role of institutions like the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in equipping Nigerians for leadership in the energy space and expressed optimism about future collaboration between PTDF and the new Academy.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to the Academy’s success, describing it as a hub for innovation and skills training with national impact.