The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on Thursday in Abuja, presided over the inauguration of the 4th Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The establishment of the NCDMB Governing Council is mandated by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act and comprises representatives from various institutions affiliated with the oil and gas sector.
President Bola Tinubu initially unveiled the members of the new NCDMB Council on December 7, 2023. He announced that the Council would be chaired by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), with Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, serving as the Council’s Secretary.
Other members include Mrs. Oritsemyiwa Eyesan, Executive Vice President of Gas, Power, and New Energy at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd; Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC); Mrs. Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, representative of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources; Mr. Nicholas Odinuwe, Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN); Mr. Olorundare Sunday Thomas, Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM); Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering (COREN); and Dr. Raphael Samuel, representative of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF).
Senator Lokpobiri congratulated the Council members on their appointments, emphasizing that their selection was based on their expertise and experience in various fields. He highlighted that the NOGICD Act mandates institutional representation on the Council to leverage the expertise and professionalism of key organizations and transform the oil and gas industry’s landscape.
The Minister affirmed that NCDMB has made significant strides in the oil and gas sector over the past 13 years, achieving many of its objectives. He urged the new Council members to collaborate closely to elevate Nigerian Content development standards.
Furthermore, he emphasized that several African nations are studying Nigeria’s Local Content model, underscoring the need for Nigeria to enhance implementation and maintain its leadership position in the region.
Expanding on his remarks, the Minister emphasized that a fundamental objective of the NCDMB is to enhance indigenous human and infrastructural capabilities to enable Nigerians to assume vital roles in the oil and gas sector.
He underscored the significance of the NCDMB by noting that it is among the few agencies chaired by a Minister, highlighting its crucial role in the national economy. Additionally, he pointed out that Section 75 of the NOGICD Act empowers the Governing Council to oversee and manage the affairs of the Board, among other responsibilities.
In response on behalf of the newly appointed council members, Olorundare Sunday Thomas, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), expressed gratitude to the Minister for their selection and pledged to uphold the trust placed in them.
Thomas affirmed the commendable performance of the NCDMB and noted that Nigerian Content implementation has garnered admiration from various countries.
He said: “A lot of value has been added to the oil and gas industry and the Nigerian economy and I thank those who originated the NOGICD Act. We will do our best and we will continue the good work started by the NCDMB.”
In his comments, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe promised to work closely with all the members of the Governing Council to take the Board to greater heights.