Nigeria needs to establish consolidated training and development programmes to help ensure that the country's energy industry is working efficiently in 2009, the managing director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has urged.

According to This Day, Mutiu Sumonu warned that the coming year is likely to be difficult for the oil and gas sector in Nigeria and called for greater adoption of training programmes to utilise the domestic workforce effectively.

His comments came at the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria annual awards, which were held in Port Harcourt.

Mr Sumonu went on to warn that some of the cashflow problems experienced this year - with some contractors still owed money for work carried out in service to the SPDC and the national government.

"Next year is not going to be better because we will do every work according to the means available to us and according to approved funding," he warned.

At the end of October, the company announced that commissioning for the Afam Gas and Power project has begun.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development