Nigeria’s Folashade Adekeye has emerged chairperson of the Forum of Directors of Oil & Gas Training and Vocational Education Institutes within the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO).
Adekeye, who leads the NNPC Academy, according to a statement by Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., Olufemi Soneye, succeeded Abdelkader Guenone, the Managing Director of the Algerian Petroleum Institute, at the Forum’s second meeting in Abuja over the weekend.
Bringing over 30 years of industry experience to her new role, Adekeye is expected to spearhead efforts to enhance collaboration among APPO member countries, addressing critical issues such as skill gaps, infrastructure, and funding in oil and gas training institutions.
Earlier in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the meeting, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mele Kyari, represented by Inuwa Danladi, Executive Vice President (Business Services), emphasized the importance of a standardized educational and training approach to meet the changing demands of the oil and gas industry.
Also in his keynote address, APPO’s Secretary General, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, charged the Member Countries to work towards further enhancing collaborative efforts to establish Oil & Gas Centres of Excellence across the African continent.
Dr. Ibrahim, also from Nigeria, said having good knowledge of the Forum’s challenges would enable APPO Member Countries to make recommendations and provide solutions in areas such as Oil & Gas project funding, technology adoption, and the formation of Africa Energy Bank.
He concluded that such collaboration by all member countries will guarantee Africa’s energy accessibility, affordability and sustainability, which overall, will strengthen her economies and bring prosperity to its citizens.