By Aduragbemi Omiyale

An agreement designed to open new pathways for Nigerian and Saudi Arabian workers has been signed by the two nations.

It is the first workers’ recruitment agreement between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, opening the Middle East’s labor market to skilled professionals in the West African country across a wide range of sectors.

The deal, according to a statement made available to Business Post on Tuesday, represents a significant milestone in deepening cooperation between the two countries in the areas of labour mobility, skills development, and worker protection.

It aims to expand opportunities for Nigerian workers in Saudi Arabia while implementing measures to ensure fair and effective recruitment. It establishes a structured framework that protects the rights of both employers and workers, while regulating the contractual relationship between all parties.

Under the agreement, recruitment will be conducted exclusively through authorized and licensed channels, with an emphasis on transparency, compliance with applicable laws, and adherence to agreed standards governing employment terms, working conditions, and worker welfare.

It was signed on the sidelines of the Global Labor Market Conference 2026 in Riyadh by H.E. Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.

The deal aligns with Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen labour market governance and promote a safe and fair working environment, in support of Vision 2030 objectives to improve labour market efficiency and enhance protections across the labour market.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has appointed Mr Jerry Amah as its Acting General Secretary, following a decision taken at the union’s last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.

Mr Amah succeeds Mr Lumumba Okugbawa, who officially retired after 25 years of distinguished service to the association, marking the end of an era in PENGASSAN’s leadership.

Until his appointment, Mr Amah served as Assistant General Secretary of the union, a role in which he was widely regarded for his strategic communication skills and administrative experience.

He holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mass Communication/Media Studies from the University of Lagos, equipping him with a strong professional foundation in media relations and organisational leadership.

Mr Amah also previously served as Director of Marketing, Communications, Public Relations and Protocols at the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, where he was credited with strengthening the institution’s public image and stakeholder engagement.

Congratulating him on the appointment, PENGASSAN President, Mr Peter Osifo, urged the new Acting General Secretary to deepen his commitment to the union’s values and its members.

“This is a critical time for the union. We expect Comrade Amah to rededicate himself to advancing the ideals of PENGASSAN and protecting the interests and welfare of our members,” Mr Osifo said.

In his acceptance remarks, Amah described the appointment as a call to greater service, saying the new role would allow him to contribute more meaningfully to the growth of the union.

“I am grateful for the confidence reposed in me and remain committed to serving PENGASSAN diligently and with integrity,” he said.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Nearly 200 fresh engineers and other professionals have been put in the payroll of Dangote Cement Plc after the completion of an 18-month Graduate Trainee Programme of the organisation.

They were chosen from various engineering, finance, Information Technology (IT) and other disciplines and formally inducted in the company’s workforce over the weekend.

The training programme comprises both classroom and on-the-job learning conducted at Dangote Academy and across the four plants locations in Nigeria and the head office.

During the programme, the trainees were deployed across Dangote Cement’s plants and operational locations, where they acquired practical industry experience and benefited from the mentorship of seasoned professionals within the organisation.

The cement firm noted that several of the trainees have since been integrated across its cement operations in Nigeria and other African countries.

It was gathered that four engineers were outstanding during the programme and were celebrated at the induction. They are Ms Mary Nnana, Mr Ahmad Sunusi Abdullahi, Mr Ahmed Rufai Ahmed, and Mr Ebenezer Afonja.

These four engineers played key roles in the installation and commissioning of MIS servers at the Obajana Plant, as well as supporting the deployment of cement mill optimisation systems at the Obajana and Okpella plants.

The Programme Coordinator, Mr Iyal H. Abdulkareem, said the awardees demonstrated outstanding hands on industrial competence throughout the programme, noting that their contributions included improving reporting and customer administration systems; undertaking raw and cement mill main drive alignments; carrying out preheater fan dynamic balancing; and developing templates for documenting and tracking key plant performance indicators (KPIs).

The Acting Group Human Resources Officer, Mr Ahmed Ladan Gobir, described the Graduate Trainee Programme as a strategic initiative aimed at equipping newly graduated engineers with world class skills and deep industry exposure.

“Nigeria’s greatest asset is its young people, and at Dangote Cement we are deliberate about empowering them with the skills, exposure, and opportunities required to succeed.

“Through initiatives such as our Graduate Trainee Programme, we are providing young engineers with the platform to build meaningful careers, contribute to national development, and emerge as the next generation of African industrial leaders,” Mr Gobir said.

The chief executive of Dangote Cement, Mr Arvind Pathak, on his part, said, “We are honouring some of our staff for their long service to the company, and we are also celebrating our graduate trainees who are officially rounding off their induction programme.”

The Dangote Cement Graduate Trainee Programme is a structured development journey designed to groom high potential professionals for future leadership roles through cross functional exposure, classroom instruction, executive mentorship, and hands on project execution.