- Board Sets 70% Local Content Target to Retain $14b
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has set an ambitious target of 70 per cent growth in local content over the next 10 years. This will enable the country to retain $14 billion from the $20 billion spent yearly in the upstream oil and gas industry.
When the Nigerian Content Law was enacted in 2010, local content in the industry was only five per cent but at the moment it stands at 26 per cent while what is retained in-country from the $20 billion spent yearly is $5 billion.
NCDMB Executive Secretary, Simbi Wabote, said in Lagos during on the sideline of the presentation of the upgraded Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS), titled: Optimising the JQS functionalities for case of doing business with the board to industry stakeholders that the upgrade was meant to enhance the achievement of the set targets, adding that the targets are achievable.
With the robust NOGIC JQS, the NOGIC JQS portal would capture industry capacity, adequate categorisation, training, employment and expatriate quota management data.
Wabote said: “The NOGIC JQS portal will be sole system for Nigerian Content registration and prequalification of contractors in the industry after verification of contractors’ capacities and capabilities.
“It will ensure tender and expatriate quota management, proper record of issued Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate (NCEC), marine vessels categorisation, skills data bank.”
He added that indigenous and international oil companies (IOCs) will be compelled to make statutory submissions on it.
On the benefits of the upgraded NOGIC JQS, Wabote said on assumption of office, carrying out daily activities were cumbersome due to huge paper works. He said with the upgraded portal, the activities will be done electronically and will substantially reduce turnaround time, enhance internal efficiency and ensure transparency.
“It is in tandem with Federal Government’s Executive Order on Ease-of-doing Business and the 7Big Win, which are to boost transparency and stakeholder management, as well as government’s Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP). It will also foster better institutional collaboration,” he said.
Wabote highlighted some of the achievements of the Board between 2010 and 2017 to include registration of 6800 service companies in the Board’s database, registration of 75,000 people on NOGIC JQS, receipt of 12,000 expatriate applications, and biometric capture of 3600 expatriates. Others are record of 2800 marine vessels, registration of 40 operating firms, issuance of 1200 Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate and registration of 550 marine vendors.
He said the workshop on the new JQS portal functionalities was meant to sensitise the industry and general public about the upgraded NOGIC JQS platform but with special focus on super-users and industry relevant stakeholders such as members of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF) and Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN).
