NCDMB, Dangote Urge Shift From Compliance To Sustainable Nigerian Content Growth

By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews | Monday, October 19, 2026

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Dangote Group have called on stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to move beyond regulatory compliance and embrace technological innovation, sustainable financing and stronger local supply chains to accelerate Nigeria’s industrial development.

The call was made at a strategic retreat of the NCDMB/Dangote Joint Technical Committee (JTC) held in Lagos on Friday, October 16, 2026, under 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, strengthen indigenous participation and promote sustainable development across Nigeria’s energy value chain.

Participants emphasised that Nigerian content should be regarded not merely as a statutory obligation but as a national economic strategy capable of creating jobs, developing technical expertise, strengthening local supply chains and retaining greater value within the country.

In his keynote address, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Senior Technical Adviser and Director of the Project Certification and Authorisation Directorate (PCAD), Engr. Austin Uzoka, identified commitment, technology and financing as fundamental requirements for building a resilient Nigerian content ecosystem.

Ogbe challenged industry stakeholders to address the long-term sustainability of major industrial investments, particularly how Nigeria could maintain its industrial assets, strengthen domestic supply chains and ensure that investments in critical infrastructure deliver lasting economic benefits.

Drawing attention to the challenges associated with Nigeria’s publicly owned refineries, he stressed the importance of safeguarding the sustainability of the Dangote Refinery by developing the local goods, works, services and supply-chain capabilities required to support its continuous operations.

He noted that establishing world-class industrial facilities was only part of the task, adding that Nigeria must also develop and maintain the indigenous capabilities needed to operate and sustain such investments.

According to him, credible domestic supply chains are essential to supporting industrial facilities, developing local expertise and ensuring that technical capabilities remain within the country.

He warned that without reliable local supply chains, the economic benefits of major industrial investments could continue to flow outside Nigeria, thereby limiting domestic value creation and value addition.

On technology, the NCDMB executive secretary stressed the need to develop Nigerian expertise in operating, maintaining and sustaining industrial facilities rather than relying indefinitely on foreign capabilities.

He also identified access to finance as a major constraint facing indigenous businesses, noting that high interest rates and delays in securing funds could prevent Nigerian enterprises from executing projects, expanding their operations and competing effectively across the oil and gas value chain.

Ogbe further challenged stakeholders to consider how Nigeria could nurture the next generation of large-scale indigenous industrialists and support local investors seeking to establish refineries and related facilities.

While acknowledging the Dangote Group’s contribution to industrial development, he urged industry players to help emerging indigenous investors succeed, noting that a stronger domestic refining sector would position Nigeria as a major oil and gas hub.

He reaffirmed NCDMB’s commitment to creating an enabling environment in which Nigerian businesses could participate meaningfully, develop technical competence and compete for opportunities across the industry.

Speaking on compliance with Nigerian content requirements, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics and Chairman of the NCDMB/Dangote Joint Technical Committee, Mr. Omomehin Ajimijaye, urged contractors, vendors and service providers operating within the Dangote business ecosystem to register on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS) and strengthen their participation in the industry.

Ajimijaye explained that the Board’s regulatory framework was designed to promote business growth and deepen indigenous participation rather than create unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles.

He identified four major compliance requirements: Nigerian content planning, workforce localisation, local procurement and capacity development.

He said companies bidding for projects were expected to submit Nigerian content plans demonstrating how they intended to maximise indigenous participation.

Employers were also required to prioritise qualified Nigerians, procure locally available goods and services, and invest in skills development and technology transfer.

On the employment of expatriates, Ajimijaye explained that foreign personnel could be engaged where genuine skills gaps existed. However, companies were expected to work with the Board to establish such gaps and develop succession plans to prepare Nigerians to take over the positions progressively.

He described NOGICJQS as an important digital platform for supplier registration, prequalification, capacity verification and validation of technical expertise.

According to him, reliable industry data would enable NCDMB to identify skills shortages, connect businesses with qualified professionals and direct training investments towards areas of greatest need.

Ajimijaye commended the Dangote Group for its collaboration with the Board since around 2019 in developing the capacity of Nigerians through local and overseas institutions. He noted that some beneficiaries had subsequently secured employment within the group’s businesses.

He also emphasised the importance of sustained investment in research and development to stimulate indigenous innovation, improve competitiveness and enable Nigerian companies to export their technical expertise.

Highlighting the impact of Nigerian content initiatives, Ajimijaye 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 noted that in-country value retention stood at approximately 61 per cent, below the 70 per cent target, calling for stronger collaboration among regulators, operators and service providers to close the gap.

He urged industry stakeholders to regard Nigerian content as an opportunity to expand their businesses, develop technical expertise and build a more competitive domestic energy industry rather than simply as a regulatory obligation.

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 stressed that local content development should extend beyond sourcing raw materials to include skills transfer, workforce development and the growth of indigenous contractors into enterprises capable of executing increasingly complex projects.

Meanwhile, the Director of Legal Services at NCDMB, Dr. Naboth Onyesoh, called for stronger coordination among regulatory institutions, stressing that investment facilitation, petroleum regulation and Nigerian content compliance must work together to advance Nigeria’s economic interests.

He said inter-agency engagement should clarify statutory responsibilities, eliminate unnecessary duplication and produce practical solutions rather than become a contest over institutional superiority.

Onyesoh challenged the perception that the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) was the sole regulator within free zones, explaining that its investment-promotion responsibilities did not override the statutory mandates of other government institutions.

He noted that incentives provided to attract investments and improve the ease of doing business in free zones did not exempt operators from applicable federal laws.

According to him, petroleum businesses remained subject to the 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 ensuring compliance with 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.

He cautioned against narrow interpretations of the law that could exclude companies operating in free zones from contributing to local capacity development and the growth of Nigerian businesses.

“An incentive regime is a business advantage; it is not a regulatory exception,” he said.

The NCDMB legal director also 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 NCDMB 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.

According to him, coordinated regulation would improve the ease of doing business, strengthen investor confidence, create jobs and ensure greater economic returns from Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.

Earlier, the Alternate Chairperson of the NCDMB/Dangote Joint Technical Committee, Dr. Ebele Oputa, described the retreat as a family 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 investment in young Nigerians.

Oputa noted that his more than 33 years in the country and contributions to Nigerian content development had been instrumental to the collaboration between the NCDMB and Dangote Group.

The retreat reaffirmed the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, industrial operators, contractors and indigenous businesses to translate Nigerian content policies into measurable industrial growth, stronger local capabilities and greater economic value for Nigeria.