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Content Board Seeks Stakeholders Commitment To Compliance

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14 years ago

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The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) wants stakeholders’ commitment to compliance even as it says local content implementation will bring back Nigerian jobs.

A statement by the Public Affairs Office of the Board in Abuja on Thursday quoted the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Ernest Nwapa, as making the remarks during his visit to some oil companies.

It said that Nwapa’s visit to Chevron Nigeria Ltd. and ExxonMobil was part of his week-long sensitisation programme to major oil and gas industry stakeholders in Lagos.

Nwapa was quoted as saying that the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGIC) Act was geared toward the establishment of facilities in Nigeria.

It said the implementation of the Act was also aimed at ensuring that the local facilities were patronised so as to bring Nigerian jobs back home.

According to him, the emphasis of the Federal Government with the implementation of the Act is not aimed at only retaining the bulk of the annual oil and gas industry expenditure in the country.

But its ultimate aim was to create employment for millions of Nigerians from the oil and gas industry operations.

Nwapa was quoted as noting that most countries in the world were currently working toward bringing back jobs for their nationals in the wake of the global economic crisis.

The executive secretary was also quoted as saying that this agenda of the Federal Government should be supported by all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.

He conceded that keeping the cost of production reasonable and meeting work schedules were critical to national revenue.

Nwapa, however, stressed that given Nigeria’s population of 150 million, the oil and gas industry, which is the main stay of the economy, needed to pay special attention to job creation.

The executive secretary explained that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Joint Venture Partners could not employ more than 25,000 persons.

He said that several thousands of Nigerians would be employed if the companies put jobs in the yards of local service companies and encouraged their traditional service providers to build facilities in Nigeria to execute their contracts locally.

Nwapa expressed regret that the preference for importation of almost all the goods and services used in the industry was steadily eliminating opportunities to develop human capacity and infrastructure.

The executive secretary said the consequence of the practice was the impoverishment of our people and stultifying national economic growth.

Illustrating, he said: “Each major offshore production facility contract award to be fabricated in the traditional Asian fabrication yard translates into the export of more than one billion dollar capital from the Nigerian economy.

“Five thousand Nigerian jobs are lost in the two-year engineering and fabrication period and the opportunity to train several thousands other Nigerians within same time frame.

“Such decisions also result in lost opportunity to upgrade existing yards and build new ones, cripple opportunity to attract investments to the facilities and lost opportunities to grow partnerships between local and foreign companies.”

Nwapa stressed that such practice must stop, adding that compliance with the provisions of the Act called for a drastic change in the ways the industry were being run for decades to achieve government’s aspirations.

Nwapa also asked the international oil companies to provide the board with the concrete strategies they had adopted to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act.

The executive secretary also asked the oil companies to strive to meet the targets set by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke for the industry.

He pointed out that the board was set to invoke the non compliance sanctions prescribed in the Act for defaulting companies.

Nwapa charged the companies to come up with individual strategies of putting work in the yards of Nigerian service companies.

He also asked them to come up with plans to utilise indigenously owned marine vessels and comply with the expatriate quota provisions of the Act.

Nwapa maintained that foreign and local investors would not be encouraged to establish facilities in Nigeria to bridge capacity gaps until the board was convinced that existing facilities were being patronised.

He pledged the board’s unwavering determination to enforce compliance with the Act.

Nwapa added that “we need to demonstrate to bidders and service providers that when you do not comply with the provisions of the Act, you lose out from tenders.”

He also canvassed for a change of the mindset by Nigerians holding executive positions in the oil companies to balance loyalty to employer with a responsibility to align with national objectives when advising and taking key decisions.

In his comments, the Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria, Mr Andrew Fawthrop, commended NCDMB for initiating the engagement, which he said, would build consensus on the implementation of the Act.

He said that Chevron was committed to complying with the Act, but pointed at difficulties arising from the absence of a transition period and insufficient capacity in certain areas.

Illustrating the dilemma in balancing government aspirations, he said: “If you are seeing resistance, it is because we have goals to meet on oil production and gas delivery among other things and failure attracts some penalties.”

In his comments, the Managing Director of ExxonMobil Nigeria, Mr Mark Ward, assured NCDMB that the company would be proactive in complying with the Act.

According to him, you are going to see a different approach from ExxonMobil.

“We will not wait until we get everything right because doing nothing frustrates implementation of the Act,” Ward said.

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NCDMB, Dangote Refinery Unveil JTC On Deepening Local Content

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company have inaugurated a Joint Technical Committee (JrefineryTC) aimed at advancing local content implementation during the operational phase of the 650,000 barrels per day  plant.
A statement from the Directorate of Corporate Communications of the Board noted that the inauguration ceremony took place at the Dangote Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
The statement also said the inauguration marks a pivotal moment in fostering strategic collaboration between the both institutions, and was a significant move to reinforce local content development in the oil and gas sector.
Presided over by the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and the Group Vice President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Group, Chief Edwin Devakumar, the event featured the formal sign-off of the Committee’s Terms of Reference (ToR), a guided tour of the refinery, other critical facilities, and the official commencement of the JTC’s responsibilities.
According to the Board, the visit also featured the presentation of the certificate of the Nigerian Content Downstream Operator of the Year Award won by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company at the inaugural ‘Champions of Nigerian Content Awards’ held recently in May.
The NCDMB’s boss made the presentation to the President of the Dangote Group, Alhalji Aliko Dangote, who expressed delight at the recognition, noting that he would display the certificate proudly at his office.
Ogbe congratulated the Dangote Group on the successful development and commissioning of the largest single train refinery in the world, as well as petrochemical and fertiliser plants, describing the projects as a historic milestone not for Nigeria alone, but for the entire continent.
He emphasized that the Dangote Refinery stands as a testament to the success of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010 and the transformative potential of Nigerian-led industrial projects.
“At an optimal daily production capacity of 650,000 barrels, this refinery will significantly enhance Nigeria’s energy security and contribute to the supply of refined petroleum products across West Africa.
“Nigerians, have to own the plant, we have to make sure that the plant works well. We have to secure it, we have to maintain it. The NCDMB would continue to collaborate with Dangote Petroleum Refinery”, Engr  Ogbe said.
Highlighting the need to ensure more value retention in the sector, as mandated by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICD) 2010, the Board’s helmsman demanded compliance with Sections 32 and 33 of the NOGICD Act, with particular reference to local manpower utilization and requirements for NCDMB’s approval prior to the engagement of expatriates.
“The NOGICD Act stipulates that no expatriate can be employed in any organization in the oil and gas industry without the prior approval of the NCDMB. We will work with you, We’ve to protect jobs for Nigerians. It’s critical to job creation, skills development, and national capacity building in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, he said.
He commended the firm for training and employing Nigerian engineers, saying the collaboration will ensure that qualified Nigerians were given opportunities across all operational roles, while also urging the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals to support the Board’s initiative which aims at developing oil and gas industrial parks across the country to foster local content and manufacturing in the sector.
He noted that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGaPS) seeks to create an enabling environment for Small and Medium Enterprises in the sector.
“NOGaPS was conceived by the Board to develop facilities close to oil fields where manufacturing of oil and gas components, as well as research and development, can be carried out.
“We would like Dangote to support one of our major activities, which is the oil and gas industrial parks scheme. The parks are aimed at creating an enabling environment for SMEs in the industry to do fabrications and create more jobs for Nigerians”, the NCDMB’S boss stated.
In his welcome address, the Dangote Group Vice President, Devakumar, highlighted that the refinery project and NCDMB have been working together, promoting local content development during the construction stages of the project.
“We can’t say we have achieved everything, because there is opportunity to do more. We’re grateful to the NCDMB for all their support and advice.  As entrepreneurs, we’re trying to optimise costs. It’s a Nigerian company, it’s also an entrepreneur-driven company. As a Nigerian company, the focus will be on Nigerian content. As an entrepreneur-driven company, it will be cost-focused”, he noted.
Devakumar underscored the long-standing commitment of the Dangote Group to national development and capacity building, saying that the Group’s vision is to grow Nigeria’s industrial landscape.
High points of the visit, according to the Corporate Communications Directorate of the NCDMB, was the inauguration of the Committee members.
The statement from the NCDMB further added that the committee is to ensure the implementation of local content in the refinery’s operations, while its core objectives include promoting the use of Nigerian skilled manpower, services, and locally sourced materials in compliance with Section 3 of the NOGICD Act.
The Tide learnt that the committee will also support Dangote Refinery in aligning its operational procedures with the Act’s requirements.
In his acceptance remarks, Director of Corporate Services at NCDMB and Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu, expressed gratitude to the leadership of both organizations, reiterating the Committee’s dedication to upholding the highest standards of local content enforcement and fostering measurable outcomes that will benefit the nation’s economy.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Food Security: NDDC Pays Counterpart Fund  For LIFE-ND Project

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, says the commission has paid its counterpart fund for the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Project to ensure food security in the region.
The LIFE-ND project is an agriculture intervention project sponsored by the Federal Government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the NDDC to boost food security in the region.
Mr. Ogbuku disclosed this while fielding questions at the commission’s 25th anniversary world press briefing  in Asaba, Delta State.
He stated that the commission has equipped and trained farmers in the region on best practices, adding that it has also established Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce with a commitment of N30 billion, but has released N5 billion to encourage commerce and entrepreneurship in the area.
According to him, agriculture is among the next phase of the commission’s programmes aimed at addressing food security in the region.
“Our target is to use agriculture to fight criminalities in the Niger Delta region”, he said.
The NDDC boss said the commission would hold a retreat to marshal plans to enhance the cultivation of rice, oil palm, cassava, and maize for industrialisation.
He also disclosed that its fund allocation from the Federal Government has improved, adding that funding from International Oil Companies has also increased, with greater compliance.
Ogbuku revealed that although its revenue has improved, the commission had thought it wise not to borrow but to deploy the surplus to execute more projects.
According to him, the commission has gone digital in its documentation and data generation to address its human capital development projects, ensuring the even deployment of resources, which allows people to take turns being trained in their chosen profession.
He stated that the NDDC was committed to addressing environmental challenges in erosion-prone areas in Edo, Delta, and other states, contingent upon the availability of funds.
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Replace Nipa Palms With Mangroove In Ogoni, Group Urges FG, HYPREP

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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A concerned group of stakeholders under the auspices of Khana Coastal Communities has made a passionate appeal to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Hydrocarbon Remediation Restoration Project (HYPREP) to include the removal of Nipa palms which has taken over the positions of mangroves in the area as part of the ongoing Ogoni Clean Up Exercise.
The group, which decried the invasive and destructive effects of Nypa fructicans, commonly known as Nipa palms, on the ecosystem of the affected communities, made their appeal in a Press Statement issued shortly after the  inspection and survey of the creeks and coastlines of  affected communities.
The communities are Kwiri, Kereken, Kaa, Gwara, Sii, Kpean, Tehnnama, Bane, Kalaoku, and Opuoku, all in Khana Local Government Area of Ogoni, Rivers State.
Signed on behalf of the affected communities by comrades Emmanuel Goteh Bie, Raymond Nwibani, and Chief Barineka Tonwe, the statement emphasized the need for urgent intervention to clear the Nypa fructicans and replace them with mangroves which provided sustainable habitat for aquatic species in the affected communities.
The group commended the Federal Ministry of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup process and urged all stakeholders involved in the process not to renege on their complementary roles.
The statement read in part: “As you have seen, the Nypa fructicans has taken over our creeks, displacing native mangroves and aquatic life. The impact on our communities has been severe, with many of our people struggling to make a living due to the depletion of fish and other aquatic resources.
“We commend the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) for its efforts in restoring native mangroves in Ogoni, particularly in the Bomu Community. However, we are alarmed by the unintended consequences of removing invasive Nypa fructicans, which has led to the disappearance of fish and aquatic life, threatening the livelihoods of our coastal communities.
“We believe that the removal of Nypa fructicans and replanting of native mangroves will help revive our aquatic life and sustain the livelihoods of our people.”
The group passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas, and HYPREP Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, for what it described as their unwavering efforts in ensuring the success of the Ogoni cleanup exercise.
They  called on the Federal Government to release their counterpart funding to HYPREP without delay to sustain the pace of progress recorded in the clean up process.
“The cleanup exercise is commendable, and any delay in funding could stall the progress and undermine the efforts of all stakeholders. We urge the government to prioritize the Ogoni cleanup exercise and provide the necessary support to ensure its success”, they stated.
They also used the opportunity to caution against the antics of self-inflicted activists or bodies that might attempt to hijack the cleanup agenda and create unnecessary agitation, and assured the total support of the affected  communities to HYPREP’s activities to enhance the holistic success of the Ogoni clean up exercise.
Bemene Taneh
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