As Nigeria navigates the third year of implementing the Decade of Gas Programme of the Federal Government, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote has advocated for action parties to provide annual status reports of the successes, issues, support required, and target completion dates.
He made the recommendation at the just concluded Nigerian International Energy Summit (NIES) held in Abuja where he made separate presentations on Local Content Investment and Sustainable Energy Future and Building Local Content and Capacity for the Realisation of Nigeria’s Decade of Gas.
He suggested that the status reports would be prepared by agencies, entities, and stakeholders that were responsible for the various projects and initiatives identified in the Decade of Gas programme and presented at the NIES which is held annually at Abuja.
He challenged stakeholders not to get distracted or lose steam in the implementation of the programme even as a new administration is set to assume office on 29th May.
While calling for the continuity of the Decade of Gas programmes, he hinted that “it is possible that the incoming government will give the programme a new name but we must not lose focus on the importance of gas to our energy needs and economic development.”
The Executive Secretary also highlighted eight focus areas the Board was utilizing to drive the realization of the Decade of Gas initiative of the Federal Government.
According to him, they include Human Capacity Development, Construction of Industrial Parks, Public-Private Partnerships, and Nigerian Content Intervention Funds. Others are Research and Development, Regulatory Framework, Regional Collaboration, and Enabling Business Environment.
Dwelling on the capacity building programmes required to enhance the training and re-training of the capable workforce for the industry, Wabote explained that NCDMB had “delivered close to 14 million man-hours of training for acquisition of various skill sets required to explore, develop, operate, and maintain hydrocarbon facilities”.
He listed some of the Board’s Human Capacity Development tools and programmes to include the Expatriate Quota Management System, STEM Education, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), Institutional Strengthening, ICT Centers, and Training Certifications.
He stated that the Board’s capacity-building programmes were impactful and acknowledged internationally, adding that the survey carried out by African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) to assess the standards in training institutions on the African continent rated Nigeria as one of the top countries with credible institutions for training the required manpower for the oil and gas industry.
Giving updates on the construction of oil and gas industrial parks, the Executive Secretary said the Board had commenced issuance of allocation letters to credible investors in readiness for the commencement of operations within the NOGAPS Industrial Parks located in Bayelsa and Cross River states.
He stated: “The NCDMB Gas Hub at Polaku is fully dedicated to domiciliation of gas-related enterprises such as Pressure Reduction and Metering Station, CNG mother stations, LPG cylinder manufacturing plants, Gas processing facilities, power plants, and other similar facilities.”
Commenting on the theme of the summit, which is Global Perspectives for a Sustainable Energy Future, Wabote said the challenges of energy transition ‘has brought to the fore the need for every nation to leverage its own comparative cost advantage by developing the energy resources that it has in relative abundance.
He added that “most countries including Nigeria have a mix of these resources, and they must apply local content investments to realise a sustainable energy future”.
