By Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is leading the way across Africa on local content development in the oil and gas industry. Since the inception of the NOGICD Act enacted in 2010, NCDMB is at the forefront to facilitating local capacity development and ensuring that the execution of large components of any project is domiciled in Nigeria.
At WAIPEC 2019, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote advocated for local content collaboration across all African countries. He adds: “Local content collaboration is paramount; NCDMB is leading the way across Africa when it comes to local content. We need to ensure our targets are continually met and carry on demonstrating to Africa that the NCDMB is ensuring companies operate in Nigeria with local content at the forefront of their business, I look forward to showcasing further developments at next years event.”
Looking back at the revolution of Nigerian Content in the past years, there has been significant development in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. There have also been indigenous capability and capacity building to enhance the growth and development of the oil and gas industry.
Wabote said that Nigeria will continue to domesticate the full capacity and capability of local content across the oil and gas value chain. The new target for the industry follows from the successful completion of the Total’s Egina FPSO, the first time these feats would ever happen in Nigeria. The FPSO is the biggest component of deepwater oil and gas project and the fabrication and integration of the modules at any location spurs multi-dimensional development and creates thousands of jobs locally.
DR MICHAEL MUGERWA General Manager – Uganda Refinery Holding Company, commented: “We are seeing a lot of Nigerian companies express interest in Uganda given the vast opportunities, this is paramount to the development of Uganda’s oil industry, ensuring we utilize the best practice and experience of developed experts, IOC’s, NOC and companies throughout the oil value chain”
For local content to succeed in Africa, industry players representing various NOCs, IOCs recommended that there should be a uniform local content criteria and guideline across Sub-Saharan Africa. Policies should be put in place to enabling a working local content space across Africa. And, there should be a swift decision making, good policies, and collaborative linkages to reach the desired objectives.
“There should be a clearly circulated business laws and regulations of host countries to enable easy investment across the continent. Technology transfer, creation of subsidiaries and having an understanding of the local market.”