Oil & Energy

Time To Implement Local Content Act 2010

Published

14 years ago

February 27, 2012

A visit to Nigeria airports, especially the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa shows an influx of so-called foreign experts into the country almost on daily basis. When asked who they are and where they are going, the answer is always, “they are expatriates coming for one oil company or another. With this observation, one is poised to ask whether the oil companies in the country are actually working in consonance with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010.

President Goodluck Jonathan in September 2010 inaugurated the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) during which he charged the board to ensure that its activities impacted on the oil and gas sector. He said the initiative must count on indigenous capacity development in the oil and gas industry. With the inauguration, the NCDMB was fully equipped to commence operations to meet the expectation of Nigerians in the gradual but sustainable implementation of the Nigerian Content Act.

The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010 aims to provide for the development of Nigerian content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, Nigerian content plan, supervision, coordination, monitoring and implementation of Nigerian content and for related matters. Enacted by the National Assembly of Nigeria, the Act, not withstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Petroleum Act, which shall apply to all matters pertaining to Nigerian content in respect of all operations or transactions, carried out in or connected with the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

And among other matters, all regulatory authorities, operators, contractors, subcontractors, alliance partners and other entities involved in any project, operation, activity or transaction in the Nigerian oil and gas industry shall consider Nigeria content as an important element of their overall project development and management philosophy for project execution.

The Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Mr Ernest Nwapa on Thursday at the 2012 Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) conference in Abuja explained that the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGIC) Act was geared to bring Nigerian jobs back home. Mr Nwapa said the board would ensure that all technology required to develop the local content was deployed to the country to create greater opportunities for Nigerians, pointing out that the emphasis of the Federal Government with the implementation of the Act was not only to retain the bulk of the annual oil and gas industry spend in the country, but ultimately to create employment for millions of Nigerians on the back of oil and gas industry operations.

He noted that most countries around the world were currently working towards bringing back jobs for their nationals in the wake of the global economic crisis and urged all stakeholders to support this agenda of the Federal Government. According to Nwapa, keeping the cost of production reasonable and meeting work schedules are critical to national revenue.

With the caliber of members of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board head by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, one would have thought that the Act should have by now been strictly enforced for compliance by oil and gas companies in the country. The Act if properly enforced will propel Nigeria into becoming one of the world’s industrialised economies in the next decade.

Nigeria needs to urgently address the issue of local capacity in the oil and gas industry so as to take advantage of expected investments and guard against the repeat of past mistakes where most goods and services used in the industry were imported, while facilities that were built suffered from inadequate after sales service support. The preference for importing almost all the goods and services used by the industry from abroad is steadily eliminating opportunities to develop human and infrastructural capacity, thereby impoverishing our people and stultifying national economic development.

We must ensure that our implementation efforts do not fail and we must be consistent and unwavering in order to transform our industry from an importer of goods and services to an industry that can source its key imputs from local resources. The oil and gas industry can generate manufacturing activities to support its operations and employment and domicile significant proportions of its derivatives as well as trap commensurate revenue in Nigeria to develop the fabrication yards, shipyards and manufacturing plants to industrialise our economy.

Major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Jos, to mention just a few, like the proverbial honeybee, easily attract prospective foreigners into the country so must and many foreign experts who appear to have literarily struck gold in the country capitalise on the quest of industries for them to simply hijack available positions meant for indigenes. These industries, particularly the oil multinationals refuse to know that Nigerians also have the right skills that are high on demand.

An immigration official who did not want his name on print because he had no authority to speak on the issue, revealed to journalists that the office receives hundreds of applications from prospective foreigners seeking temporary permits in the country on daily basis. His words: “In recent time, we have been receiving a deluge of applications form would-be expatriates seeking work permits. What we do when such applications come, under the circumstance, is to do thorough background checks and treat each ease on its merit”.

Investigations have revealed that foreigners appear to dominate key sectors of the country’s economy such as oil and gas, energy and power, construction, telecommunications, real estate, banking and finance, among others. The Vice Chairman, Broron Group of Companies, Mr Henry Ojogho, a conglomerate with interest in oil and gas, telecommunications, energy and power, in an interview disclosed that foreigners still dominate most businesses in the country today. Specifically citing the oil and gas industry, ojogho said that the country has the right local experts for most of these jobs.

He was, however, quick to admit that there are lots of handicaps militating against the capacity of local experts to deliver on the job when compared to their peers abroad. “In Nigeria, I can tell you in all honesty that we have expertise that can compete favourably with their counterparts abroad but they are hamstrung by the lack of capacity. What do you make of a professional involved in seizure engineering who has no equipment to do these jobs?, he stressed.

The President of the Association of consulting Architect of Nigeria Architect Roti Delano,in another interview decried what he described as the “invasion of foreign architecture” in the country. He said: “We have had other foreign architects working in the country but the problem we are having now is the incursion of foreign architects practicing illegally in Nigeria. Some clients engage these people in ignorance and we know of clients, who when this is drawn to their attention, reverse the situation”.

Delano continued: “It is not only the clients that are encouraging foreign people coming to practice illegally in Nigeria, we have instances where the Federal Government engages foreign architects to work illegally in Nigeria. Part of the problems we are going through now is trying to make our clients realise that the Nigerian architects”. He recalled that when President Olusegun Obasanjo was Head of the Military Government in the 1970s and the country was building the second generation universities at the time, all the projects went to Nigerian artchitects provided they showed they have the technical expertise.

The cost of engaging a local architect or expert in any field is a fraction of what you pay the foreign person. Several studies have shown that in about 37 countries, Nigerian professionals earn the least pay while the Federal Government pays a lot of money for consultancy services for those coming from abroad. The government flies them in an pays them heavily for what other Nigerians here can do in a lesser time than the foreigner can achieve. The government must look into this.

Expenditure in the industrial sector of the country must transcend returns in terms of revenue and also translate to local capacity, increased technological growth, jobs for Nigerians, assets and develop critical facilities and infrastructure to support performance of work scopes in Nigeria.

It is now necessary for the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board to develop partnership between local and international companies, government, and gas companies and the private sector of the economy and create linkage with all sectors of the economy, local banks and global financing institutions to create the enabling environment for local capacity building. There must be developments in our supply chain management, the integration of government programmes such as Small and Medium Enterprises, training by the Petroleum Training and Development Fund (PTDF), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), to build local capabilities across board and transfer the technological experience inherent in the oil and gas industry to other sectors like transportation, construction, telecommunications, power, defence, maritime among others.

The NCDMB should create access to funds by leveraging the reforms in the banking sector to design interventions that support local companies with low interests and long-term loans. The board should also sensitise indigenes of oil producing communities on government’s genuine intentions to empower their youths, protect the environment, secure lives and property and ensure their participation in economic activities to maintain the tranquil environment required to support productive industry activities.

Shedie Okpara

Oil & Energy

Rivers PETROAN Elects 12-Member Executive

Published

4 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Petroleum Products Retail Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Rivers State Branch, has elected a 12 – member executive to steer the affairs of the association for the next four years.

The executive, elected during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association, at it’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, and sworn in immediately after the election, was mandated to, among other things, tackle the adulteration of petroleum products as well as address irregularities in meter readings across the state.

The newly elected executive include, Pastor Ezekiel I. Eletuo as Chairman, Kanu Addeson C. as Vice Chairman , Dr. Ejike Jonathan Nnbuihe as Secretary, Fidelis A.Inaku as Treasurer and Lady C. N. Ekejiuba as Financial Secretary.

Others are Anaenye Anthony as Publicity Secretary, Arc. Kingsley O. Anyino as Organising Secretary, Nze Peter Ezenwa as Chief Whip, and Sunny Williams as Auditor.

Other members of the executive included Chidiebere Ronel Akwara as Welfare Officer, Ibe Chimaobi C. as Legal Adviser, and Emetoh Chizoba as Assistant Secretary.

Inaugurating the new leadership, PETROAN Zonal Chairman, High Chief Sunny G. Nkpe, charged the team to build on the achievements of the outgoing executive.

He urged them to collaborate with stakeholders in the petroleum sector to ensure industry stability and address issues of multiple taxation.

Nkpe who emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and an open-door policy in administering the union, insisted these principles remained crucial in advancing the association’s objectives and improving members’ welfare.

The zonal chairman also commended the outgoing executive for their accomplishments during their tenure and for conducting a smooth transition process.

He further described their efforts as instrumental in strengthening the union’s standing in the state.

In his acceptance speech, the new Chairman, Pastor Ezekiel I. Eletuo, thanked members for their confidence and pledged to improve on the foundations laid by the previous administration.

He promised his leadership would be guided by transparency, accountability, fairness, unity, and integrity.

Eletuo called on all members to support the new executive in its efforts to elevate the association.

Also speaking, the immediate past Chairman, of the association, Sir Chilam Francis Dimkpa, expressed appreciation to members for their support during his administration and stressed the need for them to extend the same cooperation to the new leadership.

Dimkpa highlighted key achievements of his tenure to include capacity building for members, increased union visibility through media advocacy, and the establishment of stronger ties with stakeholders, corporate organisations, and individuals.

He also acknowledged the support of the state government, the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Stakeholders present at the event also delivered their goodwill messages.

Highlights of the event included administration of oath of office to the new executive and the presentation of certificates of return by the zonal chairman. .

By: Amadi Akujobi

Oil & Energy

FG Intensifies Efforts To Reposition Tourism Sector

Published

4 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has intensified efforts towards reposition Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry for global competitiveness, aimed at strengthening regulation, professionalism and workforce standards across the sector.

This was made known last week when the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) conferred fellowships, inducted professionals and inaugurated the governing boards of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria (HTSSCN) in Abuja.

The high-profile event, held at Merit House, Maitama, drew senior government officials, regulators, tourism operators, cultural institutions, hospitality investors and development partners in what stakeholders described as a major institutional shift .

Government also formally inducted registered practitioners into various professional categories while also inaugurating the Board of Trustees and Board of Directors of the HTSSCN, an employer-led platform designed to align workforce competencies with industry expectations.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, said the initiative represented a strategic intervention to strengthen accountability, standards and institutional coordination within Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality ecosystem.

According to the minister, Nigeria’s vast cultural assets, tourism destinations and creative talents can only translate into sustainable economic value through professionalism, regulation and globally accepted operational standards.

She noted that tourism and hospitality industry remains one of the fastest-growing sectors globally, contributing significantly to employment generation, foreign exchange earnings and cultural diplomacy.

Musawa explained that NIHOTOUR Establishment Act has expanded the institute’s mandate beyond training, positioning it as a regulatory and certification authority for hospitality, tourism and travel practitioners in the country.

“No sector can attain sustainable growth without structure, standards, institutional coordination and skilled professionals,” she said, stressing the need for stronger collaboration between government agencies, operators, training institutions and private sector stakeholders.

In his keynote address, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHOTOUR, Abisoye Fagade, described the event as a historic turning point in the formalisation of Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality industry.

Fagade said the induction of practitioners, conferment of fellowships and inauguration of the HTSSCN governing boards marked the beginning of a new era of institutional governance, professional recognition and sector-wide coordination.

“Regulation and standardisation are no longer optional; they are economic necessities if Nigeria truly intends to compete globally,” he stated.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Oil & Energy

Big Oil Reconsiders Previously Unattractive Destinations

Published

4 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Middle Eastern crisis has prompted a reprioritization among international oil companies. Previously unattractive drilling destinations are suddenly looking quite attractive—even Alaska.

The oldest oil and gas producing part of the United States has for years been out of the spotlight as the industry moves to cheaper and faster-growing locations. The only news of any substance about Alaska recently was the Biden administration’s approval of the Willow project, led by ConocoPhillips, which was set to boost the state’s oil output by 160,000 barrels daily, and Australian Santos’ Pikka project, set to start commercial production this year. That was years ago. Now, Big Oil is eager to drill in Alaska.

Earlier this month, a lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska attracted record bids, worth a total $163 million. Among the bidders were Exxon, Shell, and Repsol, with the latter already partnering with Santos on the Pikka development. And this may be just the beginning.

Related: Saudi Aramco Looks to Raise $10 Billion from Real Estate Asset Deal

The Bureau of Land Management offered 625 tracts across about 5.5 million acres for bid in the sale, revived at the end of last year by the Trump administration. No lease sales were held in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska under President Biden. Yet under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, there will be a total of five lease sales in Alaska over the next ten years.

“With the imminent start-up of the Pikka project on the North Slope, the reversal in the decline of oil production in the great state of Alaska is going to help put more oil in the Pacific area at an important moment,” Repsol’s head of upstream operations, Francisco Gea, said as quoted by the Financial Times. Gea called Alaska “a fantastic opportunity”. The Pikka project, which has a price tag of $4.5 billion, will produce up to 80,000 barrels daily.

It is indeed a fantastic opportunity, at the very least because it is nowhere near the Middle East and as such is a highly secure energy exploration destination. Canada is in a similar position, by the way: the head of the International Energy Agency earlier this month told an industry event Canada had a golden opportunity to step in as a secure energy supplier in a world that’s currently 14 million barrels daily short on supply because of the Middle Eastern crisis.

Security, then, is what has prompted Big Oil to return to the North—even Shell, which left in 2015 after writing off as much as $7 billion on an unsuccessful drilling campaign hampered, among other things, by strong environmentalist opposition. According to the Financial Times, the supermajor’s decision to partake in the latest Alaska lease sale was surprising for analysts.

However, according to chief executive Wael Sawan, the lease sale concerns a different part of the state. “It is a very, very, very different part of Alaska that we have gone to,” he told the Financial Times. “This is an onshore exploration opportunity in a very well-established basin that has been producing for some time… So this is not offshore Alaska where we have had the challenges in the past.”

Crude oil is not the only thing drawing the energy industry to Alaska in these times of oil and gas trouble. Gas is also a magnet—in this case, in the form of the Alaska LNG project. Interest in the Alaska LNG export project has spiked since the war in the Middle East choked 20% of global LNG supply and sent Asian buyers scrambling for expensive spot cargoes.

Glenfarne Group, the majority owner and developer of the facility, aims to sign binding offtake agreements with buyers soon and advance final investment decisions to later in 2026 and early 2027, company executives told media earlier this year on the sidelines of an energy conference in Tokyo.

“There’s a real interest, particularly with everything happening in the Middle East right now. Everyone would like to get those (preliminary deals) turned into long-term agreements,” Adam Prestidge, president of Glenfarne Alaska LNG, told Reuters in March.

Alaska LNG is designed to deliver North Slope natural gas to Alaskans and export LNG to U.S. allies across the Pacific. An 800-mile pipeline is planned to transport the gas from the production centers in the North Slope to south-central Alaska for exports. In addition, multiple gas interconnection points will ensure meeting in-state gas demand.

The latest Alaska developments show clearly how the Middle East war has put energy security back in the spotlight, making previously challenging locations desirable again. With an estimated 1 billion barrels of oil supply wiped out of markets since the war began, according to Aramco’s Amin Nasser, alternative supply sources have become urgently needed, and not just for the short term. Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens soon—which at the moment seems unlikely—energy security will in all probability remain a top priority both for energy producers and for consumers.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com