Local content: NCDMB develops policy to halt foreign procurements

As part of the federal government’s efforts prioritising Nigerian-made products and services first, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), says it is developing a ‘Nigeria First Procurement policy’ in order to reclaim the economic independence of the country by harnessing local capacity. The policy will also ensure that all goods or services that […]

As part of the federal government’s efforts prioritising Nigerian-made products and services first, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), says it is developing a ‘Nigeria First Procurement policy’ in order to reclaim the economic independence of the country by harnessing local capacity.

The policy will also ensure that all goods or services that are produced and/or available locally will not be procured from foreign sources unless there is a clear and justifiable reason.

Speaking during the Nigerian Content Seminar holding on the sideline of the 24th Nigerian Oil and Gas Energy Week in Abuja on Monday, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the ‘Nigeria First Policy’ is a bold commitment to build national pride, industrial competence and sustainable economic growth by putting Nigerian-made products and services first.

The seminar with the theme: “Achieving Energy Sufficiency through Local Content Implementation’’ attracted key players in the oil and gas industry to deliberate on the growth of the industry.

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Ogbe stated that as the board strives to attract more investments into the Nigerian oil and gas industry towards achieving energy sufficiency and security, Nigeria’s energy sufficiency goes beyond its availability as it extends towards the key elements of resilience, sovereignty, and sustainability which are anchored in strong domestic capabilities.

 

He said: “Starting with the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010 which has been operational for the past 15 years now, several Executive Orders such as Executive Order 001 Ease of Doing Business and Executive Order 005 Giving Preferences to Nigerian companies and firms for procurement contract awards have been issued.

 

“The most recent policy aimed at deepening local content is the “Nigeria First Policy”.

 

“At the heart of this administration’s agenda is a deliberate and strategic push to reclaim our economic independence by harnessing our local capacity. The Nigeria First Policy represents this vision.

 

“It is rooted in a simple but powerful principle that “All goods or services that are produced and/or available locally will not be procured from foreign sources unless there is a clear and justifiable reason.

 

“The Nigeria First Policy is a bold commitment to build national pride, industrial competence, and sustainable economic growth by putting Nigerian-made products and services first.

 

“To ensure this policy translates from paper to tangible progress, the Board is already taking some steps. First, we are developing a Nigeria First Procurement policy for the Board. The Board is incorporating the Nigeria First policy into our internal processes and systems.

 

“The policy will be considered for reviewing and approving Nigeria Content Plans, Nigeria Content Compliance Certifications, and so on. The Board will also commission a Baseline Study to ascertain and verify the available capacity of Nigerian service providers.

 

“Similarly, we will also commission a Baseline Study of the consumables and other goods that are used in the oil and gas industry. The study will also identify Nigerian companies that produce these goods and confirm their capacities,” he said.