Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has initiated a strategic overhaul of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, NCCF, aiming to reposition it as a more effective driver of in-country capacity development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
At a two-day retreat and 2026 Steering Committee meeting, the Board signalled a shift toward a results-driven framework, stressing the need for a clear roadmap to unlock high-impact Nigerian content outcomes.
Declaring the session open, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the reset as critical to the forum’s evolution.
“The NCCF began as a vision, modest in structure but bold in intent. Today, we can confidently say that this baby has grown, nurtured by your dedication, strengthened by collaboration and sustained by our shared commitment to advancing Nigerian content,” he said.
He, however, warned that progress must now be matched with deliberate strategy.
“This retreat is not just another meeting; it is a defining moment. We are here to reflect, interrogate our current realities and chart a clearer, more strategic path forward for the NCCF,” he added.
Ogbe emphasised that while frameworks are important, execution will depend on stakeholder commitment.
“The success of the framework, policy guidelines and roadmap we seek to develop will depend on the quality of our engagement, the sincerity of our contributions and our willingness to think beyond silos,” he stated.
Providing insight into the reform process, Partner at Ernst & Young, Damilola Aloba, identified key gaps uncovered through stakeholder consultations and benchmarking.
“The forum lacks clear strategic direction from NCDMB, creating uncertainty among Sectoral Working Groups regarding expectations and deliverables,” Aloba said, adding that “unrefined expectations and the absence of a supportive framework” have constrained performance.
He further noted that the retreat aims to “strengthen aligned leadership on NCCF’s long-term direction and ensure clear expectations across NCDMB, the NCCF Secretariat and SWGs.”
Earlier, Acting Deputy Manager of NCCF, Bright Amatoru, highlighted the forum’s contributions since its establishment under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.
“Our function is to identify issues in the priority mapping and, beyond that, provide solutions through extensive stakeholder engagement,” Amatoru said.
However, he admitted existing limitations: “As of today, we have not had a very clear direction on how to select interventions. That clarity is critical as we align industry expectations with global best practices.”
Despite challenges such as funding constraints, weak project tracking, and delays in approvals, stakeholders noted that the reset offers an opportunity to strengthen governance, improve coordination, and accelerate local content delivery across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain.
