By John Ikani
In line with the mandate and continued efforts of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to support the development of in-country capacities that would serve the Nigerian oil and gas industry and allied sectors, the Board’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote on Wednesday led representatives of international operating oil and gas companies and their service counterparts to visit Orbit Galvanized Steel Industries Limited at Ikorodu, Lagos, a subsidiary of the African Industries Group (AIG).
One of the assets of the company is a state-of-the-art fabrication and hot dip galvanizing plant. The firm also has capacities to manufacture and supply substation structures, telecom/microwave towers, solar module mounting structures, and railway structures and is currently active in solar power, electric power, mining, and agriculture.
Speaking after inspecting the facility, the Executive Secretary observed that the galvanizing plant was conceived to serve other sectors of the economy, but the promoters realized that they could equally take advantage of the opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, which prompted the invitation of NCDMB and other stakeholders to their facility. He commended the company for their investment, noting that having a diverse clientele would enable its sustainability and profitability.
Engr. Wabote said the company had huge potential and needed to be supported to enable it to meet all the technical standards required by the oil and gas industry. He emphasized that the oil and gas industry operates with very strict standards and zero tolerance for compromise because any failure would have colossal consequences on human lives and economic resources.
He urged Orbit Galvanized Steel to work assiduously on getting the relevant certifications and meeting the standards of the oil and gas industry, as well as registering with all the relevant regulatory agencies in the country.
The local content boss went on to note that the galvanizing facility might help address the challenge faced by the NLNG Train 7 project in finding the required operational galvanizing capacity in-country.
He charged Nigeria LNG Ltd and the consortium of service companies contracted on the Train 7 project – Saipem, Chiyoda, Daewoo – to work closely with Orbit Galvanized Steel to upgrade the galvanizing facility to the required standards so it can provide services for their project and other potential projects in the future.
Speaking further, Engr. Wabote reiterated that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act mandates the Board to ensure that critical capacities developed in Nigeria are patronized by the oil and gas industry, to create employment opportunities and retain spend in the local economy.
He assured the company that NCDMB will support its progress and ensure that its proposed fabrication yard is patronized when completed. He invited the management of the firm to the 4th Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) which is a platform where all potential projects in the oil and gas are showcased so the industry players can prepare themselves to participate in them.
In his comments, the Group Executive Director of Orbit Galvanized Steel, Mr. Uche Iwuamadi asserted that the company is the only integrated tower manufacturing company in Nigeria. He hinted that “the entire end-to-end process, right from iron ore mining to the casting of billets, to fabrication and galvanizing is done in-house within Nigeria, and that creates employment opportunities for many Nigerians.”
Responding to inquiries from representatives of the oil and gas companies, Iwuamadi stated that the galvanizing facility has a production capacity of 3600 tonnes per annum and a maximum of 6 tonnes per batch.
He thanked NCDMB and the oil industry personnel for visiting their facility and assured them that the company’s growth will add immense value to the Nigerian economy.
