The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) says the construction of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Train7 has witnessed 60 per cent local content.

NCDMB executive secretary, Simbi Wabote, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the forthcoming Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair, scheduled to take place in Bayelsa from May 17 to 19.

Mr Wabote said unlike the LNG Train 1 to 6, which had near zero participation of Nigerians because of poor performance in energy technology, Train 7 had more Nigerians participating due to the development of local capacity and capability.

“I think the project is a total of about $5 billion, and 50 per cent of that is being handled in-country and by Nigerians,” he said.

Mr Wabote said that the significant leap and growth happened because they provided many Nigerians with the opportunity to excel in oil and gas technology.

NCDMB executive secretary explained that the local content participation witnessed in the oil and gas technology was achieved mainly through the biannual Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF), organised by the NCDMB.

“When we were looking at the strategy on how to develop Nigeria content, that is, the local capacity to provide services to the oil and gas industry, we went through a lot,” added Mr Wabote. “There was so much that we needed to do in order to enhance the participation of Nigerians. “So it was out of this request by stakeholders that we looked at it and said, okay, provide a platform where you will tell them of opportunities in the industry such that people can begin to prepare themselves.”

NCDMB chief noted that one of the greatest successes was that “if you look at the Train LNG 1 to 6, the level of Nigerians’ participation was near zero because energy technology and the activities there were alien to us.”

He added, “Everything practically was done overseas, but with the advent of NOGOF, today, 60 per cent of the activities in LNG 7 is being done by Nigerians. It is because we provided the prime information which enabled them to prepare themselves to participate in that project.”

According to Mr Wabote, local content participation is a creation of the Act 2010, which mandates the NCDMB to support the development of local capacity and capability in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

He noted that the act also mandated the board to foster institutional collaboration, maximise Nigerians’ participation in the oil and gas activities and link the sector to other sectors of the economy.

(NAN)