Featured, Oil & Gas
By Anthony Isibor
THE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, says that by developing indigenous skills, asset and equipment ownership, and local manufacturing capabilities, it has demonstrated how capacity building, policy refinement and joint partnerships can create a thriving, self-sustaining oil and gas ecosystem.
This has made it a model for African countries, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary, NCDMB said on Monday at the ongoing Nigeria International Energy Summit, NIES.
NCDMB, as Nigeria’s pre-eminent local content regulator, has been at the forefront of implementing initiatives that drive local capacity development in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and this can also be replicated across Africa Ogbe said.
Some of its flagship initiatives that support its priorities towards the actualization of Nigeria local content goals as disclosed by Ogbe include the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, NCIF, Human Capacity Development, HCD programmes
According to Ogbe, this Fund provides affordable financing to support indigenous businesses in acquiring assets, expanding operations, and delivering world-class services, the Project 100 initiative which targets capacity development for indigenous service companies, and Infrastructure development and asset ownership among others.
The ES explained that the boards Human Capacity Development, HCD programmes for example, have trained thousands of Nigerians in specialized skills that align with industry needs.
He noted that these efforts ensure that Nigeria’s energy sector is not only driven by local talent, but also sustained by indigenous expertise.
“The aim is to grow these companies to become multinational firms in the future. The Board provides opportunities by linking Project 100 companies to major operators.
“We also have business-to-business and market opportunities for these companies across the sub-region. Another aim here is to export indigenous capacities outside the shores of Nigeria.
“We are developing Nigerian oil and gas industrial parks across seven (7) locations in Nigeria. The aim is to provide Infrastructure for the manufacturing of equipment, components, and spare parts to serve local and regional markets.
“We are on track to complete major construction work at these sites by the end of this year.
“We also have the Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate, NCEC, initiative. This initiative seeks to drive the growth of in-country value addition in the oil and gas industry through ownership of equipment and facilities,” he added.
Reeling out some of the achievements and initiatives of the Board, the he disclosed that unlocking Africa’s energy potential begins with investing in “Our people, businesses, and institutions.”
Ogbe also explained that the NCDMB has supported in building local capacities by maximizing local participation in the oil and gas value chain, creating jobs and enhanced economic development thus retaining economic value and enhancing technological and industrial growth.
A.I
Feb. 25, 2025
Tags: Felix Omatsola Ogbe NCDMB NIES. Nigeria International Energy Summit
