NCDMB: 70% Local Content in Petroleum Sector Achievable by 2027
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) yesterday said its target of 70 percent local content in Nigeria by 2027 was achievable.
The NCDMB’s General Manager, Midstream Monitoring, Tassalla Tersugh, stated this during the 2024 Nigerian content capacity building workshop for media stakeholders in Bayelsa and Rivers State, held in Port Harcourt.
Tersugh, who stated that the agency was working according to the directives of the presidency, said the board has put in place all needed to achieve the target.
Responding to questions from journalists at the workshop, she said: “Like we rightly said in the hall, we are going to ride on the presidential directives and we also mentioned that there are new projects coming out in 2025.
“By the time we put these two together and other initiatives of the board, all of that will boost Nigerian Content growth. These are all the things that we’re holding on to, to boost achieving that 70 percent.”
During her presentation, Tersugh described the media as critical stakeholders and called for collaboration to promote its board’s activities.
Noting the essence of the workshop, Tersugh said, “NCDMB considers the media as very critical stakeholders and that is why we do this year in, year out, because we have identified the media as a stakeholder that will help us to amplify the work that we are doing, to get it out there and most importantly, let Nigerian know the opportunities that are out there for Nigerians.
“We are also here to talk about capacity-building opportunities that are out there for Nigerians in the industry. There are opportunities in the oil and gas for Nigerians.
“Build your capacity, make yourself available for these opportunities, go into collaborations, take advantage of these opportunities, make yourself ready for these opportunities.”
Tersugh, further urged Nigerians to remain persistent and take advantage of opportunities, explore, register their business on the joint qualification system, build capacity, look for the areas where there are capacity gaps and key into those areas, as they look to navigate and overcome the challenges that come with creating local content.
On his part, the Deputy Manager, Media and Publicity, NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, explained that the workshop served as an avenue to train and equip media practitioners.
He stated, “So, the Act in Section 67 and Section 70 talked about the need for communication and engagement. Based on what the Act has asked us to do, to communicate and what the roadmap also talked about engaging stakeholders, which I mentioned that the media is a major stakeholder, we do this every now and then.”
Also speaking, the Senior Supervisor, Projects Certification and Authorisation Division, NCDMB, Bashir Ahmed, explained how the Presidential Directive on Local Content Compliance Requirements, 2024 (EO 41), which sought to ensure that only local service companies that have domiciled proven capacities and capabilities could participate in oil and gas tenders, affects the people.
