The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is dedicated to tackling unemployment in Nigeria and securing positions for workers looking to enter the country's oil and gas industy.

So claims Lawrence Boms, the country area security coordinator at UNITAR, who told Next that the institution understands that the current lack of employment in the oil-rich province of Niger Delta has not developed overnight, but rather is the result of a long series of events.

Mr Boms added that currently, even those with a university education cannot be guaranteed a position in the country's oil and gas industry.

"This is one of the reasons why we have decided to come close to the grass roots to be able to harmonise the challenges in terms of skills," he added.

Earlier this year, UNITAR invited the organisation's assistant secretary general and executive director Carlos Lopes to the region to discuss the possibility of opening an international training centre in Benin City.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development