NCDMB affirms commitment to empowering local contractors for sustainable growth

Mkpoikana Udoma,

Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering local contractors as a strategic pillar for deepening local content in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

Speaking at the close-out of a five-day capacity-building workshop for host community contractors and vendors held at the Petroleum Training Institute, PTI, Conference Centre, Warri, Delta State, the Board declared that empowerment of indigenous participants remains central to its mandate.

“When we empower local contractors, we deepen local content,” declared Dr. Abraham Apereseikumo Alfred of the Strategy Transformation and Projects Division who represented the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe.

The workshop, themed “Empowering Local Contractors for Sustainable Growth,” brought together representatives of 40 companies operating as contractors and vendors. Participants were trained on the provisions of the Community Content Guideline, CCG, modalities for securing and executing contracts, and how to register and access opportunities on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content, NOGIC, Joint Qualification System, JQS, portal.

Explaining the rationale, Dr. Alfred said the NCDMB considers it “crucially important to strengthen the local supply chain in the industry with the ultimate objective of meeting Nigerian Content development targets.”

He noted that part of the empowerment package includes access to the US$450 million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, NCIF, managed by the Bank of Industry, BOI, and NEXIM Bank.

“With this Fund, local contractors have continued to add value in-country,” he said, adding that the Board’s vision to be “a catalyst for the industrialisation of the oil and gas sector and linkage sectors” is steadily taking shape.

Participants lauded the Board for equipping them with vital industry knowledge.

Mr. Hosanna Jalogho-Williams, Managing Director of Rossman Nordman Limited, described the training as “far-sighted,” saying it “significantly opened our eyes to grey areas in industry operations and empowered us to achieve better results.”

Similarly, Mrs. Pemu Mary Olaye of Top-Private Security Services Limited said the workshop boosted their knowledge of requirements for meaningful participation in the industry while creating opportunities for networking. “We are grateful to the NCDMB and the facilitators,” she said.

The training was facilitated by Tosdere Nigeria Limited. Its Managing Director, Chief Eugene Ikomi, thanked the Board for its consistency in human capacity development initiatives and its “unwavering commitment to statutory mandates.”

This was the latest in a series of similar capacity-building efforts by the NCDMB. In April, the Board partnered with Nigeria LNG Ltd. to host a workshop for local contractors in Port Harcourt.