Board tasks engineers on infrastructural devt

The Executive Secretary Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has called on engineering community to partner with it in achieving its objective of ensuring maximum   utilisation of made in Nigeria goods and manpower across the value chain. Presenting a paper entitled ‘Entrepreneurship and Manufacturing in Nigeria: Deepening Local Content Opportunities […]

The Executive Secretary Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has called on engineering community to partner with it in achieving its objective of ensuring maximum   utilisation of made in Nigeria goods and manpower across the value chain.

Presenting a paper entitled ‘Entrepreneurship and Manufacturing in Nigeria: Deepening Local Content Opportunities for a Better Future’  at the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) 26th Engineering Assembly held recently  in Abuja, he noted that engineering plays a pivotal role in the oil and gas value chain covering design, logistics, manufacturing, project management, construction and maintenance.

He said the board’s target is to achieve 70% in-country value retention from the current 26% within the next 10 years, adding that therein lay  a lot of opportunities for engineers and entrepreneurs.

He explained that the target was to   retain $14 billion out of the $20 billion yearly spent and create 300,000 direct jobs, covering upstream, midstream and downstream sectors with linkages to relevant sectors of the economy.

He said, “All fabrications, engineering and procurement were done abroad resulting in estimated capital flight of $380 billion in 50 years. Estimated job lost opportunities was in the region of two million. Less than 3% of marine vessels were owned by Nigerians with supporting infrastructures.

“For these initiatives to become reality, well trained engineers are needed to design, construct, operate and maintain as applicable. These are fertile ground for young engineers to get exposed to practical aspects of the engineering profession.