Pipeline Professionals Association of Nigeria (PLAN) has called for stronger policies, funding, skills development and host community partnerships to safeguard and expand Nigeria’s pipeline infrastructure.

The president of PLAN, Ngozi Adeleke, made the call in a communique on Friday in Abuja.

The association cautioned that persistent regulatory gaps and manpower shortages were hindering growth.

This position was part of a series of resolutions and recommendations reached at the 9th Nigeria International Pipeline Technology and Security Conference (NIPITECS), organised by PLAN.

The conference, with the theme ‘Building Robust Pipeline Systems for the Decade of Gas and Beyond’, brought together stakeholders with a strong focus on pipeline infrastructure development, security, technology and investment.

According to PLAN, NIPITECS was designed to position Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa as viable destinations for pipeline and technology investments by connecting local opportunities to the global stage.

Mrs Adeleke explained that PLAN and conference delegates adopted several resolutions, emphasising that pipelines were critical national assets central to Nigeria’s oil and gas development.

It added, “The association opined that funding for pipeline projects in Nigeria should be built into capital funds for enhance pipeline-based projects delivery.

“The conference agreed that there exists road map for pipeline system in the country but resolved that a re-engineered road map for the future should be emphasised and strategies built around it for proper implementation.

“The association recognises the importance of skill acquisition, hence resolved that identified skill gaps in the pipeline sub-sector should be closed with technical training, capacity building and retraining of relevant professionals in the sector.

“This is through collaboration with regulatory and professional bodies as well as relevant stakeholders especially engineers.”

Mrs Adeleke said the association commended so many Nigerian-based industries and encourage that reliable indigenous database for pipeline installations and operation across the country should be developed, archived and centralized for ease of reference.

She added that the association encouraged institution of higher learning and relevant research centres to be involved in emerging pipeline technologies should be and infused with the focus on indigenous pipeline companies.

“Tertiary education curriculum should include pipeline engineering, management and innovation with focus on relevant skill acquisition.

“The Association recognised the potential in pipeline networking, hence called for collaboration amongst engineers, policy makers, academics, industry stakeholders, operators and communities.

“This is to engender synergy, unify efforts and technology leverage for the purpose of accelerating development in the industry,” she said.

Mrs Adeleke said there should be established long-term partnership with host communities from conception to operations of pipeline projects to enlist trust and as a consequence for peaceful co-existence and project success.

She said that PLAN also called for establishment of platform for synergy between students, academia and industries to address issues affecting national treasure.

The association added, “We also agreed that development of a centralised indigenous pipeline database,stronger collaboration between industry, academia, regulators and host communities,policies and regulations that encourage investment, sustainability and faster licensing processes.”

Mrs Adeleke said that the conference also highlighted concerns over the quantity and quality of trained pipeline engineers, calling for stronger synergy between students, academic institutions and industry players.

She said that PLAN urged the federal government, through NNPCL, to formally declare pipelines as critical national assets and to partner with the association on funding, p88lanning and capacity building initiatives.

She added that the association also recommended NNPCL lead efforts to re-engineer Nigeria’s pipeline roadmap and establish a multi-stakeholder committee to drive industry collaboration.

The president said that other recommendations included the development of a national pipeline engineering curriculum by the Nigerian Universities Commission.

She added that closer involvement of research institutions in emerging pipeline technologies, and long-term partnerships with host communities to enhance security and ensure project success was also important.

Mrs Adeleke said that PLAN reaffirmed its commitment to working with government, regulators, industry stakeholders and communities to strengthen Nigeria’s pipeline infrastructure in line with the nation’s decade of gas aspirations.

(NAN)