YENAGOA – Engr. Simbi Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Thursday said the board has been providing opportunities for Nigerians, particularly youths and women, in the oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors.
He stressed that several Nigerians, both male and female, have harnessed opportunities provided by the NCDMB through training.
Wabote disclosed this while delivering his welcome address at the Nigerian Oil & Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) 2023 at the NCDMB Conference Center in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The NCDMB boss averred that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualifications System (NOGIC JQS) allows stakeholders to participate in the different types of training offered by the board’s partners in the oil and gas sector.
“We have provided train-the-trainers programs across the country, delivered over 13 million man-hours in On-the-Job training covering sea-time for marine cadets, non-destructive testing, equipping youths in new skill sets such as GSM repair, solar power installation, and provision of entrepreneurial exposure that will ensure sustainability.
“With almost one million graduates, technicians, and artisans being produced every year, there is a huge need to provide human capacity development programs to develop our youths and keep them engaged in productive activities.
“Regulation No.1 of our gazetted ministerial regulations provides for training in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
“It provides for the minimum standards, facilities, personnel and technology for training in the oil and gas industry and modalities for involving operators and service providers as partners in training and development,” Wabote said.
He revealed that the board has widened the options for accessing funds through its $300 million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund with BOI, $50 million Nigerian Content R&D Fund, and $50 million NOGaPS Manufacturing Fund.
Over 70 companies have so far benefited from the intervention funds for asset acquisition, manufacturing, loan refinancing, and project financing, he maintained.
While hinting that NOGOF is organized to showcase various opportunities in the petroleum industry, Wabote said the event also provides an opportunity for investors to build synergies and for companies and investors to showcase their capabilities.
He added that through NOGOF, stakeholders become aware of upcoming projects to enable Nigerian companies to tailor their business development strategies as well as “identify high impact activities with potential for in-country value addition with a 5-year outlook to deepen the practice of Nigerian Content.”
Being attended by key industry players, the ongoing NOGOF 2023 which is tagged “Oil & Gas Industry – Catalyst and Fuel for the Industrialization of Nigeria” commenced on Wednesday 17th May and is billed to end Friday 19th May 2023.
Source: Mangrove Pen
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