By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has explained how it facilitated increase in local content from zero percent to the current over 50 percent level in the train 7 of Nigeria LNG Limited even as the Board is targeting to achieve 70 percent.
The NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, who disclosed this achievement, attributed it to the greatest success stories of Board’s brainchild, the Nigeria Oil and Gas Fair (NOGOF) while briefing Journalists on the forthcoming fourth edition of the fair scheduled at Bayelsa state between 17th -19th May, 2023.
He said the NOGOF which is a bi-annual Nigerian event being championed by NCDMB came about “when we were trying to see how we can develop local capacities to provide services to the oil and gas sector. How to prepare ourselves ahead of opportunities that will emerge in the sector. So, we came up with the forum where we can tell stakeholders of possible opportunities likely to emerge in five years time and enable them to prepare ahead.”
He cited that one of the greatest successes of NOGOF is that during the construction phase of trains one to six of the NLNG, the Nigerian participation was near zero because NLNG technologies were alien to Nigerians and everything there practically was done outside the country.
However, Wabote said: “But with the advent of NOGOF, today 50 percent of the NLNG activities were being done in train 7. This is because we provided high information which enabled them to prepare themselves to participate in that project.
“And I sincerely believe that if we want to build another train of an NLNG, I can assure you that almost 70 percent of it will be done by Nigerians at minimum cost. So, that’s one of the very significant benefits that we brought to bear with NOGOF.
“So, as we host the 2023, our efforts aligns with the key objectives of the Nigerian oil and gas content Act 2010 which mandates the NCDMB to support the development of local capacities and capabilities in Nigerian oil and gas industry, foster institutional collaboration, maximize participation of Nigerians in oil and gas activities, link the oil and gas sector to other sectors of the economy and maximize the utilization of Nigerian resources, among other objectives.
“Our goal is to use NOGOF as a platform to promote this objectives, drive growth and development across all Nigeria oil and gas value chain. We are excited to engage key stakeholders, foster the development of local content and strategize on capacity building initiatives that will benefit the industry and the broader economy.
Saying that the theme of the fourth edition is, “The Oil and Gas Industry: Catalyst and Fuel for Industrialization of Nigeria”, the NCDMB Executive Secretary added that “We are expanding to linkage industries and extending our reach beyond Nigeria to the entire African continent”.
Earlier, the NCDMB Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Akintunde Adelana, who doubles as the NOGOF 2023 Project Director, recalled the genesis of NOGOF and the previous editions.
According to him, “The Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunities Fair (NOGOF) came into being in 2017 as an outcome of seeking a platform to showcase opportunities in oil and gas for the benefits of Nigerian players so that they will know what’s coming and ahead to enable them prepare for it adequately. The maiden edition started in 2017 in Uyo which was a tremendous success.
“In 2019 the second edition was held in Yenogoa, Bayelsa state while in 2021 we had the third edition virtually because of COVID-19. In 2021, despite the lockdown and impact of COVID-19, we had over 700 delegates registered online and over 600 participated actively. We had over 2500 companies which exhibited virtually and then virtual visits to the boots were over 1600.
“From experience, NOGOF had been very successful and had far reaching impacts on the participation of Nigerian businessmen in oil and gas industry. In addition to this, we also produce compendium of opportunities which is distributed to companies and industries for reference purposes and official references.”
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Jake Riley and NOGOF Project Consultant, Funmi Ogbue, explained that the fourth edition is scheduled to hold on the 18th-19th May, 2023 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state while delegates registration will start from 17th May, 2023.
She said participation and sponsorships are still open, assuring that this year’s fair will apart from business sessions, be laced with entertainment programmes.
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