Business

Nigerian Content And Oil Sector Revolution

Published

8 years ago

September 4, 2017

It is no longer news that the price of oil in the international market is on a progressive decline.
The reason for this, of course, is not far-fetched; the world is rising above dependency on fossil oil as major source of energy and as nature abhors vacuum, global attention is shifted to alternative source of energy to avoid been caught up in the imminent revolution.
However, Nigeria as an oil producing country does not only depend on the exportation of oil as a major source of revenue but imports refined petroleum products for domestic consumption.
This ugly development trend places Nigeria in a state of sordid reality in the global paradi shift.
In line with this global revolution in the oil and gas industry, pundits have continued to raise questions on its implications for the development of the Nigerian oil sector; will Nigeria key into the revolution having remained the only country in the world that will eventually be left behind, when fossil oil cease to be the major energy source?
Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Content Development Monitoring Board, Engr. SimbiWabote, however provided answers to this niggling question, while addressing a session of experts in the oil and gas sector, at a content development exhibition workshop organised in Port Harcourt, recently.
The workshop which was jointly organised by the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, and the Nigeria Content Development Monitoring Board was according to the executive secretary a platform to brainstorm on the way forward for the Nigeria oil and gas industry and the wider economy.
Engr. Wabote, noted that the dismal level of Nigeria to the tune of a paltry five per cent made Nigeria to focus mainly on oil revenue in the past, resulting in foreign based procurement and estimated capital flight of about $380bn in 50 years, with over two million jobs specifically lost in the Niger Delta region.
According major consequence according to him was the narrative and global portrayal of Nigeria as a consuming economy.
However he pointed out that “the issuance of the 16 and 23 directives in 2005 and 2006 respectively, to drive local content raised the local content consciousness in the oil and gas industry but the imperative was centred on best endeavour basis thereby stunting the anticipated prospect of development”.
The directives subsequently received legal backing for an all-encompassing framework of Nigeria content development, when the Nigeria oil and gas industry content development act, was enacted in 2010.
Under the act, the Nigeria content development and monitoring Board’s mandate was broadly classified into two key areas; to develop capacity of local supply chain for effective and efficient service delivery to the oil and gas industry, without compromising standards, and to implement and enforce the provisions of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Content Development (NOGICD) Act 2010.
In course of actualising its statutory mandate, the executive secretary, said, “we have been consistent in promoting the development and enforcement of local content implementation in the oil and gas sector and have recorded some key achievements.
He pointed out that before the Act; “we had annual spend of $20bn with little or nothing retained in-country, Today I can confidently say that we spend $5bn in the country, every year. We targeted four pipe mills, but today we have two World-class pipe mills and five impressive coating yards. Before 2010 only three per cent of marine vessels were Nigerian owned today, Nigerians control and own 36 per cent of vessels that are used in the oil and gas industry”.
The executive secretary further explained that Nigeria can presently handle fabrication capacity of more than 60,000 tonnes, while all cables required in the oil and gas sector are all “manufactured in Nigeria, adding that manufacturing of bolts, nuts and flanges fully certified to the required oil and gas industry standard for onshore and offshore projects are now being carried out in the country”.
Other achievements recorded by the board in the same direction, according to the executive secretary, include; “the creation of 35,000 jobs and the assembly of offshore Christmas trees, in-country at the FMC Technip assembly plant in Onne and the GE assembly plants in Onne and Calabar, development of new infrastructure for integration of FPSO’s on the back of Egina project, with a production capacity of 200.000 bbl/day and holding capacity for 2.3 million barrel of oil”. With these achievements, he said the board has moved the in-country value retention from less than five per cent before the act to the current 26% level.
As part of measure of achieving local content development, the executive secretary stated that, “the board was supporting indigenous companies venturing into Deep Water offshore projects and operations, as well as collaborating with investors or business organisations, such as Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and other business organisations to establish a dry dock facility in the Niger Delta region to cater for the maintenance of big vessels, including LNG carriers”.
Engr. Wabote added that the Federal Government was promoting a domestic gas utilisation programme to encourage use of cooking gas and thereby discourage the use of kerosene, firewood and charcoal, to enhance a cleaner and healthier environment in the country.
Similarly to the gas utilisation programme, he said “CNG ulilisation is another initiative being pursued by the Federal Government to achieve its Gas revolution and utilize the huge gas reserves of 180TCF under the oil gas industry roadmap also known as seven big wins laundered by President MohammaduBuhari in October last year.
With the glimmer of economic hope presented by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB), Nigerians are of the view that the gains so far made be consolidated especially in the diverfication of the oil and gas industry.
With an estimated number of 10 million vehicles in the country and less than 10,000 running on CNG and the frittering of over five trillion naira on buying of fuel by over eight million Nigerians depending on generators, a fuel swift to gas utilisation promises a rosy economic future for the country.
An expert in the petroleum industry, Prof. Ogbonna Joel, believes that only through effective diversification of the oil and gas industry can the objective of the Nigeria oil and gas, content development Act be achieved. Speaking in an interview with The Tide, Prof. Ogbonna, urged the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB) to support indigenous companies and local enterpreneurs to boost their capacity to contribute to national growth, such synergy, he pointed out would promote local based technology and make Nigeria key into the global technological revolution.
Also commenting on the prospect of the Nigeria content development, an Environmental Sociologist, Dr. Steve Wodu, said. The federal Government should put in place proper regulatory framework for the implementation of the Content Development Act.
He said the allegations making the rounds of purported plans by the Nigeria Content Development Board (NCDMB) to move its operational base from the Niger Delta was an ominous sign, and urged the board to be focused on the implementation of its mandates.
It could be recalled that barely one week after it jointly organised a 3-day content development and exhibition workshop with the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) in Port Harcourt, the operational headquarters of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Boards NCDMB in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State was shut down by members of the Ijaw youth Council (IYC).
The reasons advanced by the protecting youths is that the Board has opened new operational offices in Lagos and Abuja, a decision they said was contrary to the provisions of the Nigeria Content Act.
Tari Porri who led the protest said the move to open news offices of the board in Abuja and Lagos contravened section 71, sub-section 3 of the NCDMB laws, which stipulate that the Board offices should only be established in oil and gas producing areas.
The recent shut down of its activities by the protesting Ijaw youths is no doubt a litmus test for the board to assert itself in the pursuit of its statutory objectives.

Taneh Beemene

Business

Ban On Satchet Alcoholic Drinks: FG To Loss N2trillion, says FOBTOB

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Ahead the December 31 effective date for enforcement of the ban on alcoholic drinks and beverages in PET or glass bottles below 200ml, the Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) has warned that Nigeria risks losing more than N2 trillion in investments.

The union urged the federal government to reverse the planned ban, cautioning that the Senate’s directive to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) would trigger severe socioeconomic consequences across the industry.

Speaking at a Press Conference, in Lagos, the President of FOBTOB, Jimoh Oyibo, said repealing the directive would prevent massive job losses and protect the country from economic disruption.

“Repealing the order would avert the grave repercussions that would most definitely follow the ban, especially by saving approximately 5.5 million jobs, both direct and indirect,” he said.

Oyibo appealed to the Senate to invite stakeholders to a public hearing, insisting that all parties must be allowed to present their positions before any decision is made.

“For a fair hearing and to demonstrate good faith, the Senate should invite relevant stakeholders to a Public Hearing to ‘hear the other side’ and be adequately informed to make an informed decision,” he said.

The union leader urged the Senate to carefully review and endorse the validated National Alcohol Policy, describing it as a multi-sectoral framework developed after last year’s public hearing, when the initial call for the ban was raised.

He urged the lawmakers to consider the entire value chain in the alcoholic beverage industry, including formal and informal workers and legitimate local manufacturers, before approving any enforcement.

Highlighting the economic implications, Oyibo said close to N2 trillion invested in machinery and raw materials could be wasted, while over 500,000 direct workers and an estimated five million indirect workers, including suppliers, distributors, marketers, and logistics operators, could lose their livelihoods.

He said “Nearly N2 trillion worth of investments in machinery and raw materials could be lost. Indigenous Nigerian manufacturers risk total collapse, discouraging future investments.

“Smuggling and the circulation of unregulated alcoholic products may skyrocket, worsening public health dangers. Government tax revenue could decline sharply as factories shut down or scale back operations.

“With rising unemployment and no safety nets, this ban will plunge families into poverty. The very children the policy claims to protect may be forced out of school if their parents lose their jobs”.

Business

Estate Developer Harps On Real Estate investment

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

A Canadian based Nigerian Estate Developer, Andrew Enofie, has said that diversification of investment into the real estate sector remains the key to business sustainability.

Enofie said this during the launch of The Golden Gate investments, in Port Harcourt, recently.

He said real estate sector has always remain stable during period of inflations, adding that diversification into the sector would ensure that businesses never loose out during such periods.

He also called on Nigerian businessmen to put their money into the Canadian estate industry with the view to reaping maximum benefit.

According to him, Canada has one of the lowest inflation rate in the world and Nigerian businessmen can reap benefits by putting their monies into the Canadian estate sector.

Enofie said his company, with many years of experience in the real estate sector, can assist Nigerian businessmen with the quest to acquire property in Canada.

According to him, investors have more opportunities to diversify their funds, saying “it also open doors for investors to invest in the Canadian real estate market.

“With the launch of this fund, we are strategically positioned to navigate current market dynamics,r3 rising demand, shifting rates and evolving economic trends, while focusing on sustainable growth”, he said.

Also speaking, an investor, Mike Ifeanyi, also called on investors to invest in real estate.

He commended the company for its pledged to assist Nigerian businessmen willing to invest in Canada, but added that the whole thing must be transparently done inorder to avoid fraud.

Also speaking, Chukwudi Kelvin, yet another investor, described the event as an eye opener, stressing that time has come for Nigerian investors to go into the Canadian estate sector.

By: John Bibor,/Isaiah Blessing/Umunakwe Ebere/Afini Awajiokikpom

Business

FG Reaffirms Nigeria-First Policy To Boost Local Industry, Expand Non-oil Exports

Published

4 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its continued commitment to driving Nigeria-First policy aimed at encouraging local manufacturers and improving the economy through the non-export sector.

This is as the National Assembly has revealed that a bill for establishing a Weights and Measures Centre is advancing.

Delivering the keynote address at the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 Nigerian International Trade Fair, in Lagos, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, (FMITI), Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said that government would continue to promote locally made goods.

Oduwole stated that the fair was not only an opportunity to showcase the best of Nigerian products but ensuring that the country continues to accelerate its non-oil exports under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The minister noted that the government’s reforms are working and demands a lot of support from all stakeholders.

In her words, “Already, our non-oil exports have grown by 14 per cent. Our exports to the rest of Africa was the fastest growing at 24 per cent last year Q1, year-on-year, CBN released the results at the end of Q1.

“Now, this shows us that our goods are in demand across Africa. Earlier this year, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment opened an air cargo corridor in partnership with Uganda Air, and we mapped 13 Southern and Eastern African countries who want Nigerian products. We understood that they want our fashion, they want our light manufacturing, our food, our snacks, plantain chips, chin chin.

“They also want our zobo, our shea butter, beauty products. The things we take for granted here, our slippers, our hair wigs, are things that are in demand across the continent. And so we’re here to support our Nigerian exhibitors and to welcome our friends across Africa and across the world.

“Exhibitors, buyers who are interested in purchasing, we’re interested in growing these businesses. So a business that is a small business this year should be a medium-sized business in the next five years. Each trade fair has its uses, each trade fair has its conveners, and really, to be honest, there cannot be too many.

“This trade fair, traditionally, has been the largest in the country, and we want to bring it back to its former glory. There’s nothing like a competition.

On her part, the Executive Director, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board, Vera Safiya Ndanusa, said the board would, in the coming months, champion structured and modernised regulatory frameworks for trade fairs and exhibitions.

She stressed that reviving the Tafawa Balewa Complex was part of a broader mission to strengthen confidence in the nation’s trade infrastructure, while stimulating industrial activity and showcasing the enormous potential of the nation’s citizens.

“Most importantly, we remain the only agency in Nigeria expressly mandated by law to organise trade fairs, and we intend to restore that statutory responsibility to the prominence it deserves ensuring coherence, quality, and national alignment in trade events across the country.

“We will be deepening our engagement with NACCIMA, whose partnership has historically anchored the success of organised trade in Nigeria, while also strengthening ties with ECOWAS, continental business groups, and international partners who share our vision for a more integrated African marketplace.

“In the coming months, we will champion a more structured and modernised regulatory framework for trade fairs and exhibitions, one that protects stakeholders, ensures standards, and positions Nigeria as a credible and well organised destination for regional and continental commerce”, she stated.

She noted that as Africa embraces the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area, a new momentum was building across the continent.

“For Nigeria, AfCFTA is not just an economic framework; it is a pathway to industrialisation, job creation, and intra-African collaboration.

“This complex must play a central role in that journey. We intend to make this fairground a primary entry point for African trade, a marketplace where producers and buyers from across the continent meet, a logistics hub connected to regional value chains, a centre for cross-border SME activity, and a launchpad for Nigerian businesses looking to expand beyond our borders.

“To achieve this, we are intentionally expanding access to markets physically, economically, and digitally. We are working to make participation more affordable for SMEs, women-led enterprises, and young entrepreneurs. We are improving mobility within and around the complex. A truly vibrant trade ecosystem must be inclusive, and inclusivity begins with access,” she stated.

Chairman, House Committee on Commerce, Ahmed Munir, commended Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, ED LITF and her team, for promoting the platform as a veritable marketplace of ideas, innovation, and partnership.

He said the event was a clear reflection of the economic agenda of the current administration, supported by Speaker Rt. Hon.Abbas Tajudeen.

According to him, “The House of Representatives recognises that the engine of our economy is the private sector, particularly our Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which contribute nearly 50 per cent to our GDP and employ the vast majority of our citizens.

“To create the competitive environment they need, the National Assembly has been working assiduously to pass and amend vital legislation to enhance the Ease of Doing Business by Streamlining regulatory bottlenecks and reinforcing essential infrastructure to make business operations simpler and more predictable.”

He stressed that as policy makers they would continue to promote the “Nigeria First” Policy through robust legislative support, ensuring that government ministries and agencies prioritise locally manufactured goods in all public procurement processes. “This is our clear statement: We must buy Nigerian to build Nigeria.

“Also to ensure quality and standards, the bill for establishing a Weights and Measures Centre is advancing. Quality is not optional; rather, it is the key to consumer trust and international competitiveness,” he said.