– Seeks NCDMB support
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria will soon house its first-ever industrial valve manufacturing plant as MT Valves West Africa, a subsidiary of global industrial giant MT Group, has unveiled plans to establish a 15,000-ton capacity facility in the country.
During a site visit by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, the company said the project would fill a major gap in the country’s oil and gas sector and stimulate local capacity development.
Mr Thomas Zhang, Managing Director of MT Valves West Africa, said the factory would be sited at the Lekki Free Zone, in Lagos.
Zhang noted that the new factory would focus on the design, assembly, maintenance, and manufacturing of industrial valves for Nigeria’s oil and gas, petrochemical, and allied sectors.
The company already supplies to Shell and operates across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
“No company is manufacturing industrial valves in Nigeria today. We want to change that narrative by building a plant here that matches our facility in Abu Dhabi.
“We are not just coming to sell; we are here to invest, train Nigerians, develop local content, and build a resilient supply chain. Our goal is to establish Nigeria as a regional hub for industrial valves,” he said.
The initial production target is 15,000 valves annually, with plans to scale up gradually. The company disclosed that some production equipment had already been installed, while other critical components are en route to Nigeria.
“We will also source raw materials locally where possible and work with Nigerian partners to ensure long-term sustainability. This is not just about business—it’s about helping to industrialize Nigeria,” he added.
The firm revealed that it has begun the process of securing certifications and complying with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, NOGICD Act, which guides local content in the sector.
The NCDMB delegation, led by Special Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Engr. Harmony Kunu, expressed strong support for the investment but called for a clear implementation framework.
According to him, the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s mandate to create jobs and industrialize.
“The Nigerian Content mantra is about domiciliation and domestication. We are ready to support credible investors, but we want to see a robust investment plan with clear milestones, raw material sources, local content targets, and economic contributions,” Kunu said.
