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Tag: NCDMB

  • President Tinubu appoints Ekpo as NCDMB co-chair

    President Tinubu appoints Ekpo as NCDMB co-chair

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), as the Co-Chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council.

    The NCDMB, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), is charged with increasing local content for more job creation, boosting the domestic private sector, facilitating technology transfer and building a competitive local workforce.

    The new appointment is in line with Tinubu’s commitment to establish a more efficient, targeted, and consistent approval process for unique oil and gas projects in the country.

    A statement by Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said that this was also to further ensure effective oversight of the gas aspect of the nation’s assets.

    Ngelale said that the President remains committed to unlocking Nigeria’s immense gas potential to stimulate industrial development, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.

  • Tinubu approves 9-member NCDMB board

    Tinubu approves 9-member NCDMB board

    President Bola Tinubu has approved a nine-member governing council and management of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

    Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    The members include Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Chairman/HMS, Petroleum Resources; Mr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary, and Oritsemyiwa Eyesan, Member/EVP Upstream, NNPCL.

    Others are Gbenga Komolafe, member/CEO, NUPRC; Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, member, and Nicolas Odinuwe, member.

    The rest are Rapheal Samuel, member; Sadiq Abubakar, member and Olorundare Sunday Thomas, member.

    ”Tinubu expects this highly qualified body of experts to discharge their duties with a patriotic resolve to significantly enhance indigenous industry participation in the energy sector.

    “This is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda’s mandate to achieve the goal of 70% indigenous content and participation in the nation’s energy industry during the lifespan of this administration,” the statement added.

  • NCDMB emerges best MDA in ease of doing business ranking

    NCDMB emerges best MDA in ease of doing business ranking

    The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has been adjudged the best among all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the country in the latest Executive Order (EO1) performance ranking for Ease of Doing Business from January to June.

    The report is compiled by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), under the office of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    A statement posted on the board’s website on Wednesday said NCDMB came tops with 81.48 per cent, according to the report, released officially on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The statement said PEBEC was established in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari to address bottlenecks and bureaucratic constraints to executing business in Nigeria.

    According to the statement, the implication of this performance ranking shows that NCDMB has delivered service in a quality, efficient and effective manner in the past six months to its diverse stakeholders.

    It said over the years, the board had moved from the 27th position in 2019 to being the most improved MDA in the country and the third position in 2020, and presently the first in the country.

    Commenting on the report, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Simbi Wabote explained that the “trend of the positions the board has been ranked shows the impressive level of work we have put into delivering quality service over the years.

    “With the right attitude, training, and support, we have achieved the number one spot.

    “We would not rest on our oars and we will continue to give our utmost best and commitment to delivering quality service to our stakeholders and also explore areas of improvement.”

    Wabote thanked the NCDMB’s employees for their efforts in accomplishing the target he had set in June 2021 when he signed the Board’s SERVICOM Service charter.

    He disclosed that the board signed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with key stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to ensure promptness and effectiveness in the delivery of its statutory responsibilities.

    Wabote said: “At some point, we challenged the oil and gas industry that we have a 15-day rule that anything they send to us and they do not get a response within 15 days, they should assume that it has been approved.

    “Nobody has been able to take us to task on it because we meet the SLA that we signed.”

  • Dangote Refinery partners Content Board on Oil Sector Research, Development

    Dangote Refinery partners Content Board on Oil Sector Research, Development

    Dangote Oil Refinery has thrown its weight behind the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to promote the critical issue of Research and Development (R&D) in the oil and gas sector of the country.
    To display its readiness for this promotion, Dangote Petroleum Refinery was a Platinum sponsor of the 2nd Edition of Edition of the NCDMB Research & Development Fair and Conference 2021, which took place in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State recently.
    Already, Dangote Oil Refinery has selected six graduates across the six geopolitical zones in conjunction with NCDMB to take the MSc and/or PhD programmes at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for Research & Development in Zeolites ZM5in.
    With the theme: ‘Creating Sustainable Collaboration in Research and Development for the Energy Sector’, the well-attended conference created a convergence of researchers, industry players, investors, finance enterprises and manufacturing companies to identify patentable or commercially viable products resulting from R&D activities.
    The R&D fair afforded Dangote Oil Refinery the opportunity to showcase its 650,000 barrels-per-day single largest train refinery project and what the company has done in terms of Research and Development during the construction of the refinery.
    Speaking during his visit to Dangote Oil Refinery exhibition booth at the fair and conference, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Simbi Wabote, commended the company for showing support to the board by participating in the fair.
    He expressed the need for companies in the Nigeria oil and gas sector to start nurturing the growth of the country’s home-grown technology rather just being wholesome consumers of other people’s innovations.
    In his opening remarks, he stated, “Analysis of global practices of Research and Development revealed that the combined R&D spend of just five countries makes up 63.5% of the entire global R&D spend. These five countries, namely USA, China, Japan, Germany, and India were also observed to have accounted for over 50% of the global Gross Domestic Products.
    “Africa, on the other hand, accounted for less than one per cent (1%) of the global R&D spend while its GDP is only 3% of the global GDP. You will agree with me that there is a nexus between the spend on Research and Development and economic prosperity,” the Executive Secretary added.
    Wabote said from time immemorial to the current age of global connectivity, R&D always played a crucial role in opening up new chapters of modern life.
    He listed some of the accomplishments of the board to include the establishment of the Nigerian Content Research and Development Council to advise the Board on matters relating to research and development in the oil and gas industry and the Development of R&D 10 Year Strategic Roadmap.
    The minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, also called on industry stakeholders and youths across the country to take advantage of the NCDMB R&D centre to bolster adaptation of existing solutions and also come up with new ones to address major challenges in the industry.
    The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, represented by his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the theme for the fair captures stakeholders’ collective commitment to aggressively drive innovation and position the oil industry on the path of an integrated energy sector, where field development and production solutions are sourced through local capabilities.
    He emphasised the need for private sector operators to invest in research and development. “It is important, however, to clear up a certain misconception: The funding of research is not the sole responsibility of National Governments; rather, big spenders on research and development globally come from the private sector,” he added.

    Beyond financial intervention, he urged the oil and gas industry players to challenge the local academia with its research problems, to ensure the development of homegrown technology and the retention of oil and gas spend in the economy.

  • NCDMB recovers $100m from forensic audit remittances

    NCDMB recovers $100m from forensic audit remittances

    The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has recovered about 100 million dollars of undisputed obligations from forensic audit remittances between 2010 and 2017.

    Mr Simbi Wabote, Executive Secretary, NCDMB, made this known this while declaring open the “Nigerian Content Seminar”, at the Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Conference in Abuja on Monday.

    “In respect of the non-remittance of the NCDMB fund, I wish to announce that we have recovered close to 100million dollars of undisputed obligations from forensic audit remittances between 2010 and 2017.

    “The disputed obligations are being closed down to bring this exercise to a close.

    “Let me use this opportunity to announce that the third party forensic audit remittances for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020 are scheduled to begin fourth quarter of this year.

    “Upon completion, this should bring our books up to date on backlog of remittances,” Wabote said.

    According to him, 80 per cent of operators and service providers have migrated to the newly inaugurated NCDMB fund remittance platform and expects the remaining 20 per cent to follow suit.

    Wabote said the inauguration of the remittance platform was part of NCDMB’s strategies to block the loopholes noticed in the past during remittances by various companies.

    The NCDMB boss noted that efforts have been intensified to also ensure that Nigeria’s economy remained stable even when the variance of the oil industry come knocking.

    He listed domestic refining of crude oil and local manufacturing as the key variables that would improve the country’s economic indices.

    “Second aspect of the NOG Conference theme is “economic stability”. It is a known fact that oil and gas industry is very dynamic. Oil boom is usually followed by oil burst with attendant impact on our economy.

    “So, refining most of our crude oil locally will create jobs, conserve forex either to use for import, or generate forex from export of petroleum products and derivatives.

    “Local manufacturing of goods and services will ensure self-sufficiency from reliance on imported goods.

    “In these two areas, we have relied on section 70 of the NOGIC Act and we will continue to deploy the provisions of the NOGIC Act to fortify the oil and gas industry against attacks.

    “This Act mandates the board to assist local contractors and Nigerian companies to develop their capabilities and capacities to foster the attainment of the growth of developing the Nigerian content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry,” Wabote added.

    He commended the National Assembly for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), noting that the bill would fortify the oil and gas industry.

  • Group alleges plot to create trouble between Sylva and NCDMB Secretary

    The Transparency in Petroleum Exploration and Development Initiative (TIPEDI) has dismissed as unfounded allegations of the demand or withdrawal of $20 million from the accounts of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for the purpose of prosecuting the forthcoming Senate election in Bayelsa State.

    Firmly rebutting the allegation, the NGO in a statement affirmed that the allegation could easily be confirmed as spurious when cast against the background of the governance system enthroned by the management of the NCDMB.

    It further said that the operation of the Treasury Single Account under the present administration has made the withdrawal of such amount from a government agency as the NCDMB impractical.

    TIPEDI in the statement issued on its behalf by its executive director, operations, Mr. Igho Derek rather adduced political motif for the rumour which the organization said lacks logic.

    TIPEDI said the originators of the rumour were rather interested in knocking the head of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipire Sylva with that of the management of the NCDMB as led by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote.

    Calling on those with interest in the Bayelsa Senate runoff elections to rather focus on selling their agenda instead of blackmail, the group said:

    “We believe that those who want to stand for elective offices must be ready and willing to canvass votes based on what they have to offer the people and not seek to distract the people through the introduction of extraneous issues that have nothing to do with with the welfare of the electorate.

    “We say this because it has become the favourite pastime of certain individuals in Bayelsa State to pick on the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) under the leadership of Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote as their scapegoat whenever an election looms in the State.

    “Records show that in the recent past, it was the Presidential, National and State Assemblies and later Governorship elections that provided the platform for the vilification of Engr. Wabote and NCDMB. Now with the possible rerun elections to fill vacant Senatorial seats in the Bayelsa State, the fairytale merchants are back at work with the same old strategy.”

    Noting the claim in one online platform that Sylva supposedly asked Wabote to release the sum of $20 million for the APC campaigns and for the prosecution of the legal challenges against Governor Douyle Diri, the group said:

    “We of Transparency In Petroleum Exploration and Development Initiative, believe that from the nature, pattern and timing of this frivolous, irresponsible, fake and wicked allegation it is fairly easy to know what source it is coming from. Moreso, as records show that this is neither the 1st, 2nd or even 3rd time such an allegation is made against Engr. Simbi Wabote by these people.

    “However, from the depth and range of other issues brought into this latest allegation, it is easily discernible that those making the allegations not only seek to whip up negative public opinion against the Hon. Minister of State and his party, the All Progressives Congress APC but are also seeking to cause disharmony and bad blood between the duo of Chief Timipre Sylva and Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote. This we vigorously abhor. Both personalities are assets to the Oil and Gas industry, Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta region and indeed Nigeria.

    “We know of a fact that the kind of stringent corporate governance structure that has been put in place at the NCDMB by Engr. Wabote since assuming leadership of the Board makes it totally impossible for any such money to be taken out of the Board’s coffers without due process.

    “When people are consumed by an unbridled desire to undo others, they tend to conveniently ignore even manifestly obvious facts such as that all accounts of Ministries, Departments and Agencies are domiciled with the Central Bank, under the TSA arrangement. Therefore, it will be fairly easy to trace such huge disbursements.

    “We in TIPEDI consider it a shame that out of desperation to win political contests, some people who otherwise ought to be reasonable have taken flight of reality and resorted to serially making allegations that simply beggars belief!

    “TIPEDI knows that Chief Sylva as Chairman of the board has always given positive direction to the NCDMB and will not go against his own principles or the governance structure he has helped to establish in the organization.”

  • COVID-19: PETAN donates food items to 10 Communities in Rivers, gets NCDMB support [Photos]

    COVID-19: PETAN donates food items to 10 Communities in Rivers, gets NCDMB support [Photos]

    As part of their efforts to give succour to members’ host communities, the Petroluem Association of Nigeria (PETAN) with the support of Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has donated food palliatives to 10 members host communities in Rivers State, Saturday, April, 18th.

    Speaking during the distribution of the food palliatives by members, the Chairman of PETAN, Mr Nik Odinuwe said, the move, was part of PETAN and NCDMB efforts in helping the government stop the spread of COVID-19 and aid residents in cushioning the effect of the lockdown in the state.

    Odinuwe added that PETAN is aware that the current lockdown has made it very difficult for many Nigerians to eke out a living as they are compelled by government directives to stay at home, more so as responsible corporate organization, deem it wise to assist government to curtail the spread of the virus.

    He further added that the initiative to give out food items was inspired by the need to provide succour to the communities, as many of those who survive on daily earning from their work & farms, can no longer work due to the stay at home directive by the state government geared towards ending COVID-19 Pandemic.

    The COVID-19 support committee chairman Chief Dr Emi Membere-Otaji noted that the food presentation was the phase two of the donations by PETAN, stressing the need for people to adhere to the safety measures recommended by Federal, State governments and WHO.

    On his part, the publicity secretary of PETAN, Dr Lucky Akhiwu said the items were in support of the efforts of the Federal and state governments towards fighting COVID-19 in the state.

    The beneficial communities within Port-Harcourt in this first phase are; Elekahia, Oginigba, Nkpogu, Amadi-Ama, Woji, Azuabie, Rumuodara, Rumuigbo, Elelenwo and Abuloma Communities.

    The donated items include rice, gari, indomie, tomatoes, vegetable oil, face masks and hand sanitizers.

  • COVID-19: PETAN partners NCDMB, donates to Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta States

    COVID-19: PETAN partners NCDMB, donates to Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta States

    As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavours, and in her effort to alleviate the anguish of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has partnered with the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to donate Ambulances , Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other medical equipment to Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers State governments

    This was made known by the Chairman of the Association, Mr. Nik Odinuwe, in Port Harcourt. He said the association is aware of the immense strain COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the healthcare system in Nigeria, and that, with the PETAN and NCDMB donations,he hopes a substantial fight against this virus will be won, in the three states.

    The partnership between PETAN and NCDMB will continue in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and other areas for the benefit of Nigerians.

    Echoing some of the sentiments of the Chairman, Dr. Lucky Akhiwu, the Publicity Secretary of the Association, said the whole country is working tirelessly to slowdown the spread of Coronavirus and that PETAN will be proud to help on a continuous basis. He also added, that PETAN member companies are presently reaching out to their host communities, to provide them with palliative materials to help ease their struggles in this time of need.

    In his final remark, the Chairman of the association, Mr. Nik Odinuwe, thanked the members of PETAN for their selfless service in the fight against the virus, and urged members of the public to stay in their homes, wash their hands regularly, and comply with the stipulated social distance gap.

    PETAN as a reputable association, continuously takes care of the wellbeing of her staff, and is working in close association with her members host communities, to mitigate the spread of COVID -19 pandemic.

  • We are working to increase indigenous participation in oil and gas sector –NCDMB

    We are working to increase indigenous participation in oil and gas sector –NCDMB

    The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), says it is working to surpass the current 28 per cent Nigerian Content in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

    Mr Simbi Wabote, the Executive Secretary of the board, told newsmen on Tuesday that they were working to increase the participation of Nigerians in the manufacture of more inputs for the oil industry.

    “What we have achieved so far is 28 per cent value retention within the country; that shows the extent of provision of goods and services by Nigerians using components manufactured in the country.

    “In the past, industry operators simply give out figures for contracts awarded to Nigerian firms that end up relying on imported goods, but we have devised a more realistic way to assess Nigerian content.

    “The current 28 per cent shows the level of value retention within the country, but we are still behind our target; the important thing is that we are making steady progress.

    “We are currently working with Nigerian entrepreneurs to leverage on procurement which accounts for over 50 per cent of the cost of projects in the sector, and manufacturing of components will increase the Nigerian content.”

    Wabote expressed concern that indigenous companies in the industry had not accessed the 600-million-dollar Local Content Development fund.

    He said that only three indigenous firms had accessed the fund so far and promised that bureaucratic bottle necks would be removed to enable more indigenous companies to access the fund.

    Wabote also said that the board had reduced the compliance approval cycle from two years to one year and would soon achieve its target of six months cycle.

    He disclosed that two out of the three pipe mills supported by the board had commenced local production of pipes for the oil and gas sector.

    The executive secretary added that six pipe coating mills were also on-stream, adding that the NCDMB had compelled oil firms to patronise the mills to reduce capital flight.

    Wabote said that dwindling oil prices had reduced investment in the sector and compelled the board to be more efficient in its operations.

  • 37.5% of vessels operating in oil & gas industry owned by Nigerians– NCDMB

    37.5% of vessels operating in oil & gas industry owned by Nigerians– NCDMB

    The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has said that 37.5 per cent of vessels operating in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry are owned by Nigerians.

    The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Simbi Wabote, disclosed this in an interview with the newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

    Wabote said that these was a marked improvement from what was obtained in 2010, when over 90 per cent of the expenditure of maritime segment of the oil and gas industry was lost to foreign economies.

    He attributed this to the preponderance of foreign-owned vessels.

    According to him, the 2016 3rd quarter Vessel Categorisation Report indicates that 2,258 vessels currently operate in Nigerian oil and gas industry and 235 of them were built in the country.

    He said that 848 of the vessels were Nigerian-owned, representing 37.56 per cent.

    Wabote said that many indigenous ship owners were motivated by these policies to construct quite new vessels, judging from growth of indigenous- owned marine vessel s in the oil and gas industry since 2010.

    The executive secretary said the Board had set a target to place at least 60 per cent of marine assets operations in the hands of Nigerians by 2015.

    Wabote said that the Board also conceived Marine Vessel Strategy in 2011 to encourage the construction and dry docking of vessels in Nigerian yards and to promote ownership of marine vessels by Nigerian entities.

    He said that the Board had also stimulated flagging and registration of vessels in Nigeria, deepened Nigerian manning of marine vessels and maximised the use of Nigerians.

    “The Board has also deepened Nigeria manning of marine vessels and maximised the use of Nigerian service providers for legal, insurance, catering, inspection and certification for transaction and utilization of vessels.

    “The Board has also deployed marine Vessel Categorisation programme as the key tool of the strategy, using indices as ownership of site of construction among others,’’ NAN quotes the executive secretary as saying.

    He said that the implication had ensured that “vessels owned by Nigerians and built in Nigeria get priority opportunity for engagement by industry operators’’.

    Wabote, however, said that reports were issued periodically and they formed the basis for pre-qualification of marine service vendors in the industry.