Business
Nigeria’s Local Content Success Makes Waves In Namibia Confab
Nigeria’s local content successes in the oil and gas industry was a constant reference point in discussions at the 2025 Namibia Oil and Gas Conference which commenced on Tuesday in Windhoek, the nation’s capital city.
The Tide learnt that in attendance at the event are policymakers, international oil and gas operating and service companies, Namibian indigenous players and other stakeholders.
A statement from the NCDMB’S Directorate of Corporate Communications states that the goal of the conference is to enhance the local content ecosystem in the Southern African country’s evolving oil and gas industry.
The statement also added that the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), are participating at the event in furtherance of their collaboration in the promotion of African local content, creation of opportunities and new markets for Nigerian oil and gas companies.
The Tide further gathered that the Board’s delegation was led by the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, while the PETAN team is led by its Chairman and member of NCDMB Governing Council, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya.
The NCDMB’S Scribe delivered a presentation at the Local Content Masterclass at the opening ceremony where he outlined a number of strategies that African oil producing countries can adopt to grow their local content capabilities.
“Local content value proposition for Africa include research and technology development, local employment, strategic partnerships, ownership and control of assets, value chain optimisation, sustainable operations, increase production and utilization of locally made goods and contribution to gross domestic product (GDP)”, he said.
Ogbe also identified government’s role in supplier development as regulatory, developmental and promotional, using Nigeria as an instance.
He listed key achievements of the NCDMB to include the establishment of world class fabrication and construction yards, human capital development, manufacturing initiative, service sector growth, financial support and establishment of integration capability for floating production and storage and offloading facility (FPSO).
Speaking on the new wave of local content development in Nigeria, the Executive Secretary pointed to the promotion of equipment assembly and components manufacturing, development of small and medium enterprises, enforcement of research and development and technology transfer as well as prioritization of gas based industrialisation.
Dwelling on strategies that would support the growth of African local content, he urged oil-producing countries to specialise in different manufacturing and service areas of the oil and gas industry and develop their competencies to the right specifications, stressing that that will enable the countries to trade among themselves and contribute towards the manufacturing of complex oil and gas equipment.
He cited an example with the Boeing aircraft, which has critical components produced by different original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and assembled at a designated factory, noting that such a model will ensure that each African country develops a competitive advantage contribute effectively to the African oil and gas industry.
“Local Content implementation is not a sprint but a marathon and must be executed as a business and not as corporate social responsibility. Local content must also be cost effective and local peculiarities must be given key considerations.
“Local content regulations must apply to all players in the industry and not only foreign companies or expatriates and the implementation takes time, consistency, and coordination.
“Capacity building initiatives should include grassroots and underserved communities. Local content practice would not grow if new projects are not developed. Nigeria is ready to partner with Namibia and other African nations to build an energy sector that empower the African people and drive shared prosperity”, Ogbe stated.
The statement from the Board’s Directorate of Corporate Communications also noted that the first day of the event featured a presentation by the Board’s General Manager, Human Capacity Development, Barr. Esueme Dan Kikile in which he shared the Board’s success stories in human capital development.
The conference is billed to end today.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways
The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.
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?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered
as search party are still ongoing.
Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.
The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit
The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident
By: CHINEDU WOSU
The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.
Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.
Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.
He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.
According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.
He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.
“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.
Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.
The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.
He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.
The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.
He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.
Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.
By: King Onunwor
The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.
Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.
“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.
The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.
According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.
Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.
He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.
He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.
“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.
Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.
“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.
“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.
She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.
Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).
“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.
“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.
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