The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Dangote Group have called for a shift from regulatory compliance to a stronger national commitment to technological innovation, sustainable financing and indigenous capacity development to accelerate Nigeria’s industrial growth.
The call was made at the strategic retreat of the NCDMB/Dangote Joint Technical Committee (JTC), held in Lagos with the theme, “Beyond Compliance: Partnering for Sustainable Nigerian Content Development.”
The retreat brought together stakeholders in the oil and gas industry and representatives of relevant government institutions to address operational challenges and strengthen indigenous participation across Nigeria’s energy value chain.
Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Senior Technical Adviser and Director of Project Certification and Authorisation, Engr. Austin Uzoka, identified commitment, technology and financing as critical pillars for building a resilient Nigerian content ecosystem.
Ogbe challenged industry stakeholders to look beyond statutory obligations and focus on sustaining industrial assets, strengthening local supply chains and ensuring that investments in critical infrastructure generate lasting economic benefits.
He cited the challenges associated with Nigeria’s publicly owned refineries, stressing the need to develop the local goods, works, services and supply-chain capabilities required to sustain the operations of the Dangote Refinery.
According to him, establishing world-class industrial facilities is only part of the task, as Nigeria must also build the indigenous expertise and supply networks needed to operate, maintain and sustain such investments.
He warned that without credible domestic supply chains, the economic benefits of industrial investments could continue to flow outside the country, limiting local value creation and industrial development.
The NCDMB chief also identified access to affordable financing as a major constraint facing indigenous businesses, noting that high interest rates and delays in accessing funds could undermine their ability to execute projects, expand operations and compete effectively in the oil and gas industry.
He urged stakeholders to support emerging Nigerian industrialists seeking to establish refineries and related facilities, adding that a stronger domestic refining industry would position Nigeria as a major oil and gas hub.
Ogbe reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for Nigerian businesses to develop technical competence, expand operations and compete for opportunities across the industry.
In his presentation, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics and Chairman of the NCDMB/Dangote JTC, Mr. Omomehin Ajimijaye, urged contractors, vendors and service providers within the Dangote business ecosystem to comply with Nigerian content requirements and register on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS).
Ajimijaye said the Board’s regulatory framework was designed to facilitate business growth and deepen indigenous participation, rather than create unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He identified four major compliance requirements: Nigerian content planning, workforce localisation, local procurement and capacity development.
Under the framework, companies seeking project contracts are expected to submit Nigerian content plans demonstrating how they intend to maximise indigenous participation. They are also required to prioritise qualified Nigerians, procure locally available goods and services, and invest in skills development and technology transfer.
On expatriate employment, Ajimijaye explained that foreign personnel could be engaged where genuine skills gaps existed.
However, companies must work with the Board to establish such gaps and develop succession plans to prepare Nigerians to take over those positions progressively.
He described NOGICJQS as a digital platform for supplier registration, prequalification, capacity verification and validation of technical expertise.
According to him, reliable industry data would enable the Board to identify skills shortages, connect businesses with qualified professionals and direct training investments to areas of greatest need.
Ajimijaye commended Dangote Group for collaborating with NCDMB since around 2019 to build Nigerian capacity through local and overseas institutions, noting that some beneficiaries had subsequently secured employment within the group.
He also emphasised the importance of sustained investment in research and development to promote indigenous innovation, improve competitiveness and enable Nigerian companies to export technical expertise.
Highlighting the impact of Nigerian content initiatives, he disclosed that the interventions had retained more than $10 billion in the Nigerian economy, generated over 50,000 direct and indirect jobs, and supported more than 50 million man-hours of training.
However, he said in-country value retention stood at approximately 61 per cent, below the 70 per cent target, urging regulators, operators and service providers to strengthen collaboration to close the gap.
In his welcome address, the Group Vice President of Dangote Group, Dr. Edwin Devakumar, called for a fundamental shift from a compliance-driven approach to a culture of national responsibility, ownership and commitment.
He maintained that laws and regulations alone could not guarantee sustainable Nigerian content development unless individuals, businesses and institutions genuinely embraced the responsibility of building the country’s productive capacity.
“For sustainable Nigerian content development to succeed, it must not be seen as a regulatory burden. Every individual must regard it as something they genuinely want to do from the bottom of their heart,” he said.
Devakumar added that local content should extend beyond sourcing raw materials to include skills transfer, workforce development and the transformation of indigenous contractors into enterprises capable of executing increasingly complex projects.
Also speaking, the Director of Legal Services at NCDMB, Dr. Naboth Onyesoh, called for stronger coordination among regulatory institutions to ensure that investment facilitation, petroleum regulation and Nigerian content compliance work together in advancing national economic interests.
He said inter-agency engagement should clarify statutory responsibilities, eliminate unnecessary duplication and produce practical solutions to operational challenges.
Onyesoh clarified that the investment-promotion responsibilities of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) did not override the statutory mandates of other government institutions.
He explained that incentives provided to attract investment into free zones did not exempt operators from applicable federal laws, adding that petroleum businesses remained subject to relevant requirements of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and NCDMB, depending on the nature of their operations.
He also highlighted the roles of the Central Bank of Nigeria, customs and immigration authorities in facilitating financial transactions, monitoring goods and enforcing applicable regulations.
Reaffirming the importance of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, Onyesoh said the legislation remained central to promoting indigenous participation, technology transfer, employment and domestic value retention.
“An incentive regime is a business advantage; it is not a regulatory exception,” he said.
The NCDMB legal director further highlighted the Board’s efforts to strengthen indigenous maritime capacity through the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, which supports local companies in acquiring vessels and expanding their operations.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Content Fund was partnering with Nigeria LNG Limited on a shipyard project at Snake Island to boost domestic industrial capacity.
Onyesoh also commended the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for collaborating with the Board on vessel verification and indigenous participation in maritime operations.
He urged OGFZA and other government agencies to intensify regular engagement, information sharing and joint resolution of operational challenges, noting that coordinated regulation would improve the ease of doing business, strengthen investor confidence, create jobs and increase economic returns from Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.
Earlier, the Alternate Chairperson of the NCDMB/Dangote JTC, Dr. Ebele Oputa, described the retreat as a meeting of key stakeholders united by the objective of placing Nigerians at the centre of industrial development.
She acknowledged the contributions of participating government agencies and commended Devakumar for his longstanding commitment to Nigeria and investments in young Nigerians, noting his more than 33 years in the country and contributions to Nigerian content development.
