Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has proposed strategies to promote cross-border collaboration and break down barriers amongst governments and businesses.
Speaking at the 7th SAIPEC Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in Lagos on Tuesday, Wabote emphasized the need for peer review mechanisms, sharing of experiences and ideas on industry sustainability and growth.
The event provided a platform for the NCDMB to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Technical Secretary of the National Content Monitoring Committee of Senegal (ST-CNSCL).
Under the terms of the MoU, NCDMB will offer ST-CNSCL strategic advice and guidance in areas of laws, frameworks, knowledge exchange, procedures for baseline study, data collection, and design of a strategic plan for local content implementation in Senegal and other capacity development initiatives.
Wabote also drew the attention of sub-Saharan Africa’s Ministers of Petroleum to the high crude oil price levels and upswing potentials experienced from 2021 to date and the geo-political dynamics at play. He highlighted the challenge for African oil and gas service providers to partake in the development and maintenance of oil fields, which could be best facilitated through a deliberate action plan.
In his paper entitled “Sub-Saharan Africa Local Content Collaboration Strategies,” the Executive Secretary said the action plan under consideration centres on legal framework, funding, infrastructure, human capacity development, and research and development. Wabote equally highlighted initiatives and grounds covered by the Nigerian Government through the NCDMB in local content development and how other African oil producers could benefit from these.
In the area of infrastructure, he cited Dangote Integrated Refinery and Petrochemical Company, Lekki Free Trade Zone, SHI-MCI FPSO Fabrication/Integration Yard, Lagos, West African Gas Pipeline Project, the ongoing AKK gas transmission pipeline, and NCDMB’s seven Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks (NOGAPS), two of which are due for commissioning in 2023.
The NCDMB boss also expressed satisfaction for progress made towards establishing an Africa Energy Bank to address financing challenges of Africa’s oil and gas projects in an era of declining investments in fossil fuels. Regarding human capacity development, Wabote emphasized its importance “to the successful implementation of local content as every intervention will be powered by humans – either through intellect, skill set or both.” Research and Development is similarly pivotal to successful implementation of local content.
In his concluding remarks, Engr Simbi thanked the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) for hosting and organizing the event. He expressed the hope that PETAN would look into “how to develop and showcase indigenous technology at SAIPEC.”
