Africa’s first ever Master’s in Energy Security Management (MESM) degree programme shall commence in July this year at the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA).
The programme is a collaboration under the ‘Africa Energy Security Research Programme’ between the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) and Umaru Shinkafi Centre for Africa Extractive Policy Research (USCAEPR).
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two institutions at the NDA premises in Kaduna at 10.30am on Wednesday 22nd February by the Commandant of the NDA, Major – General Mohammed Ibrahim for the NDA and the Director – General of USCAEPR, Dr. Perisuo Dema for USCAEPR. The MOU provides that the MESM programme is a research master’s degree programme which shall span a duration of twenty four months.
Late Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi played a pivotal role in establishing the center. Present at the event were board members and family of the Late Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, and senior personnel of the NDA. Some of which include Senator Saidu Dansadau, Hon Bilyaminu Shinkafi, Dr Abubakar Shinkafi and Dr.Joseph Tolorunse (Legal Adviser, Department of Petroleum Resources [DPR]), among others.
The Commandant of the NDA, Major – General Mohammed T. Ibrahim, stated at the occasion that the programme has been robustly structured to provide Africa focused seminars / hands – on training by globally respected academics and industry thought leaders on bespoke issues on energy security in Africa and its interaction with oil, gas, mining and renewable energy licensing regimes, regulations, fiscal (tax / royalty) policy frameworks, contracts negotiation, supply chain administration and investment growth ( including arbitration).
The Director – General of the USCAEPR, Dr. Perisuo Dema and Director of the MESM Programme, further stated the curricula of the programme shall review the impact on Africa’s energy security on changing national policies in the USA, UK and EU, international relations, diplomacy and bilateral / multilateral treaty making whether between African nations interse or between African nations and G – 7 member countries or G – 20 member countries or G – 77 countries or ACP countries or OPEC member countries or OECD member countries or ECT member countries or AU member countries or ECOWAS member countries.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Academy Provost of the NDA, Professor Azubuike Nwankwo stated that the MESM programme shall help African countries to design robust energy security frameworks for themselves.
