The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote has outlined successes of the board as it journeys towards achieving 70% Nigerian Content in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
Engr. Wabote made the outline while delivering his Keynote Address at the NCDMB Service Delivery Forum and Stakeholders Engagement held at the Nigerian Airforce Conference Centre in Abuja on Monday.
The NCDMB Service Delivery Forum is a platform set aside to engage stakeholders of the board on the journey so far in the revamp of its service delivery framework.
The Executive Secretary who noted that the board has delivered on 21 strategic initiatives in the last four years, added that the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act has resulted in 35% in-country value retention compared to the less than 5% value retention before the NOGICD Act.
Some of the strategic initiatives delivered by the NCDMB include the board’s exit from appropriation since 2018 and sustenance of self-funding status through the prudent management of Nigerian Content Development Fund entrusted in its care.
Others are the Launch of the $200million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund recently increased to $350million with additional products for Working Capital for Women in Oil and Gas, as well as the Forensic Audit of Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) Remittances with the recoveries close to $100million.
Speaking on The Board’s 10 Year Strategic Plan, Engr. Wabote explained that it is hinged on five (5) pillars and four (4) enablers, adding that each of the pillars and enablers are supported by ongoing projects aimed at propelling the oil and gas industry towards 70% Nigerian Content by 2027.
He went on to note that the efforts of the NCDMB have yielded results that saw to its ascent from the 27th position as of December 2019 to the 3rd position in the PEBEC report as the most improved MDA in Nigeria.
The NCDMB boss further noted that a look at the board’s intervention map across the federation reflects its resolve to bring service close to her stakeholders so that the impact of the board is felt throughout the length and breadth of the country.
Engr Wabote who assured that the NCDMB will relentlessly strive to become the best among MDA’s, added that the real work has just begun.
He also stated that he looks forward to the report out of the Service Delivery Forum with a view to identifying areas which the board is doing very well and where it needs improvement.
A full list of the 21 strategic initiatives delivered by the NCDMB in Engr. Wabote words are:
“a. Completion and commissioning of our 17-storey headquarters building complete with 1,000-seat auditorium and multi-level car park;
b. Completion of 10MW power plant for supply of electricity to its new headquarters building and the industrial park in Bayelsa State;
c. Completion and commissioning of the 5,000bpd Waltersmith Modular Refinery;
d. Launch of the $200million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund recently increased to $350million with additional products for Working Capital and for Women in Oil and Gas;
e. Forensic Audit of NCDF Remittances with the recoveries close to $100million;
f. Successful exit from appropriation since 2018 and we intend to maintain self-funding status through the prudent management of Nigerian Content Development Fund entrusted our care.
g. The only infrastructure in Africa for FPSO integration is available in Nigeria. The Egina FPSO which is the largest in the world was integrated in the SHI-MCI yard in Lagos.
h. STEM Education training for 1,500 teachers in Bayelsa and Katsina States;
i. Completion of thirty (30) ICT Labs in 9 states;
j. Completed the sea-time training for 20 marine cadets in international waters with another batch of 40 cadets enrolled;
k. Completed GSM training scheme for 1,000 participants in Kano State;
l. Completion of the upgrade of two (2) Vocational Technical Colleges in Akwa Ibom and Enugu states;
m. We secured approval for the $50million Nigerian Content Research & Development Fund
n. We launched NOGTECH HACKATHON and ENACTUS to nurture innovation amongst our young minds;
o. We have made steady progress in the implementation of Project 100. We sponsored the beneficiaries to local and international conference and exhibitions, organized technical training on Subsea systems, Project Production Management, and Business mentoring classes.
p. We have engaged the services of seven (7) Third Party Monitors to expand the coverage of our compliance and monitoring efforts to additional thirty (30) operators in the upstream, midstream, and downstream.
q. We have harmonized our Marine Vessel Categorization standards with that of NIMASA and NIWA.
r. We have also been able to simplify our statutory reporting templates and have since deployed the simplified template to the industry for use.
s. We organized the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF) Retreat wherein we assessed the Forum’s activities and obtained feedback from industry stakeholders;
t. We organised Retreat for our Nigerian Content Managers in Uyo;
u. We held a one-day workshop to further Mainstream Women into the oil and gas sector.”
Gains accrued from the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act in Engr Wabote’s words are:
“Before the Act, we had annual spend of $20 billion with little or nothing retained in-country. Today, I can confidently say that we spend over $6 billion in-country per year.
We have 2 world-class pipe mills and 5 impressive pipe coating yards.
About 40% of marine vessels used in the oil and gas industry are owned by Nigerians.
We have four (4) active dry-docking facilities in PHC, Onne, and Lagos.
Over 50,000 direct jobs have been created on the back of implementation of the Act.
We have 64 operating companies and about 7,000 oil and gas service companies pulling their weight in the industry.
Just last week, I was in Apapa, Lagos to commission the Beamco Valve Assembly yard which will increase in-country value addition.
Our indigenous operators are responsible for 15% of our oil production and 60% of our domestic gas supply.
In fabrication, today Nigeria can handle fabrication of more than 120,000 tonnes per year.
In cable manufacturing, all cables required in the oil and gas sector are all manufactured in-country.
Over ten (10) million training manhours have been delivered via our Human Capacity Development Programs. No surprise that our indigenous workforce were able to sustain oil production at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.”
