The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote has disclosed that the Board has provided over 15million training man hours to enhance availability of skilled manpower for the industry.
He made the disclosure while making his keynote address at the 3rd African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) roundtable on local Content held in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said, “The focus of my keynote address for this 3rd roundtable is to set the scene for the five panel sessions which broadly cover Regulatory Framework, Human Capacity Development, Research and Development, Manufacturing, Funding, and cross-border partnerships. I will also highlight some of NCDMB’s achievements in these areas and the expectations from these sessions to distil the issues and opportunities in support of credible action plans from APPO and its member countries.”
The Executive Secretary emphasised, “One of the initiatives we put in place to support local businesses is the Project 100 program meant to identify, select and nurture oil and gas service providers into large scale players through targeted financial and non-financial interventions.
“We sponsored the beneficiaries to local and international conferences and exhibitions, organised technical training on Subsea systems, Project Production Management, and Business mentoring classes.
“We have provided over 15million training man hours to enhance availability of skilled manpower for the industry. Many of these trainings with certifications are structured to close identified gaps in skills requirements covering ANST Level-3 Non-Destructive Testing, Mechatronics, engineering design software, environmental remediation, instrumentation & automation, underwater welding, diving, and so on.
“I am pleased to note that some Nigerian companies under the NCDMB sponsored Project 100 initiative and PETAN member companies are already having sustainable business partnerships with service companies across Africa, notably Angola, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea. We expect to see more of such partnerships as we deepen collaboration under the platform of APPO.
“I would also like to challenge delegates here present to engage in robust engagement during the panel session on quality service and equipment manufacturing to come up with fit-for-purpose solutions on how member countries can best achieve this as part of the local content development agenda.”
Speaking on the panels he stressed that the First panel session will focus on Local Content regulatory frameworks, institutions, and best practices. An enabling regulatory framework backed with the appropriate legislation is required to practice local content.
“In Nigeria, we started with policy directives to deepen local content practice in our oil and gas sector.In 2010, we enacted the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act which gives stronger legal backing for the implementation of the policies. With the law in place, it is no longer possible to comply with local content requirements in the oil and gas sector on ‘best endeavour’ basis.
“Some of the key lessons and best practices we have learnt include: The law must promote and enable investments rather than become a stumbling block to existing or new investors both locally and internationally;The law must factor in local peculiarities; ‘copy and paste’ legal framework is often difficult to implement; No law is perfect.
“Better to put the law in place and amend the law as necessary rather than waiting to get total perfection.view of hard facts on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on recent happenings on the global stage, it is becoming apparent that Local Content should not only be restricted to the oil and gas industry but made a National Agenda to cover various sectors of the economy.
“While the local content law may not necessarily be all-encompassing, consideration should be given to other key sectors of the economy rather than just oil and gas. I look forward to the panel deliberations on factors to consider in selecting the sectoral coverage of local content legislations amongst other insights on best practices.”
According to him, “The second panel will deliberate on the provision of institutional support to enhance supply of quality services, goods, and skilled manpower to the industry.”
He added, “One of the key provisions in the NOGICD Act is that First Consideration shall be given to Nigerian operators in the award of blocks and licenses, Nigerian goods, and services, and in the employment and training of Nigerians.
“This provision has helped in enhancing the growth of local capacities in engineering, fabrication, indigenous oil producers, and service companies.
“We have done this guided by one of our core mandates to develop the capacity of local supply chain for effective and efficient service delivery to the oil and gas industry, without compromising standards.”
The NCDMB ES revealed that the third panel will highlight the need to support innovation, technology development, tools and equipment manufacturing and digital solutions in Africa.
“The importance of home-grown, cost-effective, affordable, and scalable solutions to address local challenges cannot be over-emphasised. This can only be achieved if research and development are prioritized and given the necessary support for it to thrive.”
He further highlighted the role previous editions of the African Local Content Roundtable has continued to play an important role in advancing local content development across Africa by raising awareness of its importance, formulating supportive policies, and ultimately strengthening the capabilities of local players across the oil and gas value chain.
