Abuja: Oil and gas industrial parks in Bayelsa and Cross River states are nearing completion and are slated for commissioning in 2026, as disclosed by Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Director of Corporate Services at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). Dr. Halilu shared these updates during a capacity-building workshop for media in Abuja, outlining the Board’s mandate and achievements.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the NCDMB initiated the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGAPS) to localize and domesticate oil and gas activities within Nigeria by promoting local manufacturing. This initiative forms a crucial part of NCDMB’s 10-year Strategic Roadmap, aiming to boost Nigerian content in the industry to 70 percent by 2027. Dr. Halilu mentioned that eight oil and gas industrial parks are being developed across Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Delta, Ondo, Abia, and Edo states, with those in Bayelsa and Cross River at 90 percent completion.
Dr. Halilu emphasized that the parks would offer infrastructure and service plots for manufacturing entities. He highlighted the transformative role of local content policy as a catalyst for industrialization, job creation, and sustainable economic growth in the sector. The policy is designed to curb capital flight and reposition the oil and gas industry as a driver for national development. Dr. Halilu also pointed out that exporting oil and gas services outside Nigeria equates to exporting jobs and industrial opportunities, a trend the Federal Government seeks to reverse with local content policies.
He further explained that the success of early local content efforts led to the creation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. This Act institutionalized the policy, safeguarding it from political shifts. The philosophy behind local content is straightforward: produce competitively in Nigeria without compromising on standards, pricing, or project timelines. The NOGICD Act tasks the NCDMB with building indigenous capacity and ensuring compliance with nearly 300 performance targets.
Highlighting achievements, Dr. Halilu cited the Nigeria LNG Train 7 project as a significant success, with over 93 percent of the workforce being Nigerian, engagement of 1,400 vendors, and substantial domiciliation of fabrication, engineering, and manufacturing activities. He noted that capabilities developed for oil and gas projects now benefit other sectors such as power and construction, demonstrating the sector’s multiplier effect on the economy.
Regarding financing, Dr. Halilu stated that NCDMB had allocated funds from the Nigerian Content Development Fund through intervention programs, including single-digit interest loans for indigenous companies, asset acquisition financing, and working capital support introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Dr. Halilu mentioned that the NCDMB had fully automated its processes, eliminating physical visits for certifications and approvals, and positioning the Board among Nigeria’s top-performing agencies in ease of doing business rankings.
Earlier at the workshop, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, General Manager of Corporate Communications at NCDMB, reiterated the Board’s commitment to ongoing media engagement and continuous capacity building for journalists covering the oil and gas sector. Dr. Ezeobi described the event as a tradition since 2018, aimed at strengthening relationships with the media and enhancing professional competence. He highlighted the crucial role of effective communication in showcasing Nigerian content achievements, crediting the media with shaping public understanding of the impact of the NOGICD Act. According to him, the Board focuses on enhancing journalists’ capacity, acknowledging the media’s agenda-setting role and significant influence as a key stakeholder in the oil and gas industry.