Welding professionals under the Nigerian Institute of Welding have called on the Federal Government and project operators to fully comply with local content requirements in the execution of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline and other NNPC projects.
The professionals made the demand at the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Welding, held on Saturday at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Ikeja, Lagos.
They argued that qualified Nigerian welders should be given priority in major oil and gas projects, noting that the country had developed a pool of professionals with the technical expertise and international certifications required to execute complex welding works.
Chairman of the AGM, Prof Abdullahi Maa’ji, said Nigerian welders had continued to make significant contributions to welding technology in Africa and globally, but were still being sidelined on key projects in the country.
Maa’ji particularly cited the AKK gas pipeline project, alleging a wide disparity between the remuneration of foreign and Nigerian welders working on the project. According to him, some foreign welders earn as much as N3m, while Nigerian welders on the same project receive between N200,000 and N300,000.
“It is unacceptable that some of these foreign workers were trained by Nigerians. We have certified Nigerian welders here. Why are we bringing in foreigners?” Maa’ji queried.
He urged the Federal Government and operators of major projects to uphold the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act by ensuring greater participation of indigenous welding professionals.
Maa’ji said the NIW had trained Nigerians across various cadres and welding processes, adding that some of its graduates had secured international employment. He disclosed that hundreds of Nigerian welders had recently secured jobs in the Middle East through the activities of The Welding Federation – Africa.
He also noted that the institute had made significant progress in developing Nigerian welding capacity to international standards through the intervention of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, with centres established across almost all states of the federation.
Maa’ji called for Nigerian welding professionals to be fully engaged in the AKK project, NNPC jobs and other fabrication works across the country. He said greater participation of indigenous professionals would reduce costs, create employment and retain more value in the Nigerian economy.
The AGM also focused on the need to rebuild and rebrand the welding profession and strengthen the governance structure of the Nigerian Institute of Welding. With the theme, ‘A New Dawn, A New Direction, and a Stronger NIW’, participants described the meeting as a turning point in the development of the institute.
The stakeholders reviewed a notarised communique detailing what they described as failures in the system over the past 16 years. The challenges, according to the stakeholders, had affected the growth, unity and credibility of the institute.
Maa’ji stressed that no individual was bigger than the institution and called for strict adherence to the institute’s constitution and improved governance. He also announced a renewed commitment to transparency and fairness, as well as efforts to rebuild partnerships with government agencies, companies and international bodies to advance vocational training, certification, technology transfer and employment.
He appealed to past leaders to embrace reconciliation, stressing that the focus should remain on strengthening the institution. “Let us respect the democratic process and unite after the elections. The ultimate winner must be the Nigerian Institute of Welding,” he said.
The stakeholders subsequently called for welding to be recognised as a strategic profession critical to Nigeria’s industrialisation and youth employment, while urging stronger local participation in major infrastructure, oil and gas and fabrication projects.
SOURCE: PUNCH NEWS PAPER
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