NCDMB to guide Africa’s oil-producing countries implement local content policies

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has expressed commitment to support African oil-producing nations in developing and implementing local content policies as a strategy for improving indigenous participation and value optimisation from hydrocarbons and mineral resources. The board said this was in keeping with Nigeria’s leadership role in the development of local content […]

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has expressed commitment to support African oil-producing nations in developing and implementing local content policies as a strategy for improving indigenous participation and value optimisation from hydrocarbons and mineral resources.

The board said this was in keeping with Nigeria’s leadership role in the development of local content in Africa, as well as encouraging local participation in oil and gas production.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, who disclosed this during a two-day local content development experience-sharing session with a delegation from Mozambique’s national oil company, Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH), over the weekend, commended the giant strides recorded by Mozambique in its gas sector, and advised against repeating the mistakes made by Nigeria in the early years of its oil and gas industry.

He said the engagement was a follow up to the just concluded eighth Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference held in Lagos recently.

The session was facilitated by Aberdeen Global Strategies and Solutions under the leadership of Dr Mark Osa Igiehon, who consults for ENH Mozambique.

Represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation in NCDMB, Mr Abdulmalik Halilu, the executive secretary explained that every oil and gas-producing nation must choose to either focus on optimising revenue generation or maximising in-country value from the activities of the industry.

He explained that the alternative option focuses on maximising in-country value and promoting the development and use of local capacities. This model obligates operators in the industry to consider long-term value, while the Government takes lower revenue in exchange for higher in-country value and pays greater attention to life-cycle support for operators.

The programme also featured a presentation on funds and funding of NCDMB delivered by the Director of Finance and Personnel Management, NCDMB, Dr Obinna Ofili.

Mozambique’s team was led by the Chairman of ENH, Mr Estevao Rafeal Pale.