Michael James
Lagos — The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) recently held a virtual engagement of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF), a body set up by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act to facilitate collaboration of stakeholders and development of ideas for the advancement of Nigerian Content in the Oil and Gas Industry.
Key highlights of the meeting was the inauguration of two new NCCF Sectorial Working Groups by the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote. The two new groups are the Gas Value Chain SWG and the Diversity SWG, bringing the number of NCCF sectorial groups to twelve.
Giving reasons for the inauguration of the Gas Value Chain Group, the Executive Secretary stated that the Board believes that the future of fossil fuels is in maximizing gas development and utilization.
He noted that Nigeria has about 203 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas reserves and recalled that the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva had at the beginning of the year declared 2020 as the Year of Gas.
He further disclosed that the country is developing various projects to promote commercialization and utilization of gas and the Board is supporting the Minister’s vision in areas of LPG penetration by investing in RUNGAS to promote local production of gas cylinders in Polaku, Bayelsa State.
“There is a very hard drive within the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for LPG penetration in the country. We at NCDMB is also partnering and encouraging the establishment of LPG depot in Nigeria because of the opportunities we see. Most of these projects are in motion and actively supported by the ministry”.
The Executive Secretary also mentioned that the creation of the diversity SWG was a product from the Women in Oil & Gas workshop organized by the Board in October 2019. He hinted that the aim of the Diversity SWG is to improve the participation of women in the industry as well as to promote an all inclusive gender policies.
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He reiterated that by mainstreaming women in the oil and gas industry the sector engender greater growth of the economy. In his words, Wabote said: ”I am convinced that if we mainstream women in the oil and gas industry, we are going to achieve a lot.”
Wabote announced that a portion of the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCIF) domiciled with the Bank of Industry will set aside to support women operating in the Oil & Gas industry.
Stressing that section 57 and 58 of the NOGICD Act 2010 supported the creation of a robust platform for sharing information and to serve as ‘think-tank’ to develop policies and implement frameworks that will achieve sustainable development of the Nigerian content in oil sector, Wabote charged the members of the two sectorial groups to be proactive and develop recommendations that the Board can implement.
The members of the Gas Value Chain SWG are Lanre Runsewe from Rungas Industries Limited; Nuhu Yakubu, representing Nigeria LP Gas Association (NLPGA); Taji Ogbe, representing Nigeria Gas Association (NGA) and Bassey Essien, representing Nigerian Association of LPG Marketers.
Other members are Frank Ibi from Nigeria Gas Company Limited (NGC); Charles Epelle from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) and Mohammed Ahmed from the Nigeria Gas Marketing Company Limited.
Members of the Diversity SWG include Alero Onosode representing Seplat Petroleum Development Company; Patricia Simon Hart, representing Aftrac Limited; Pricilla Thorpe-Monclus, representing Mrs Oil Limited and Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, representing Falcon Oil and Gas Corporation Limited.
Others are Michele Aiyegbusi, representing SLC Resources Limited; Nkechi Obi, representing Techno Oil Limited; Margaret Okojokwu, representing Majorwaves Energy Report, Anita Okuribido from
Similling Simon Limited and Oladunni Owo, representing Blackgold Authorities.
The meeting also featured presentations by the various chairmen of the SWGs, which focussed on their achievements and their current projects.
