Professional Development Needs of Executive Secretaries in Multinational Oil Companies in Warri, Delta State

This study identifies and analyses the professional development needs of executive secretaries in multinational oil companies operating in Warri, Delta State, within Nigeria's South South geopolitical zone. As the oil and gas sector undergoes rapid digital transformation and operational restructuring, the professional competencies required of executive secretaries have expanded significantly beyond traditional secretarial tasks. Using a professional needs assessment framework, the study targets executive secretaries, personal assistants to senior management, and human resource development officers in eight multinational oil companies. Data collection instruments include professional skills assessment inventories, structured questionnaires, and focus group discussion guides. The Competency-Based Training Model and the Human Capital Development Framework provide the theoretical basis, with literature from 2021 to 2024 on professional secretarial practice in corporate Nigeria informing the analysis. The study identifies needs across competency domains including project coordination, digital communication management, executive support skills, and cross-cultural professional etiquette. Findings are expected to reveal a strong demand for structured professional development programmes. Recommendations target company human resource departments and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria. Keywords: professional development, executive secretaries, oil companies, Warri, competency needs