The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Dangote Group have called for a shift from mere regulatory compliance to a stronger national commitment to technological innovation, sustainable financing and industrial development.
They emphasised that these priorities are essential to deepening Nigerian content and accelerating industrial growth.
The call was made during a strategic retreat of the NCDMB/Dangote Joint Technical Committee (JTC), held in Lagos on Friday under the theme, “Beyond Compliance: Partnering for Sustainable Nigerian Content Development.”
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The retreat brought together key stakeholders from the oil and gas sector and representatives of relevant government institutions to discuss operational challenges and explore ways to expand indigenous participation across Nigeria’s energy value chain.
Discussions focused on ensuring that Nigerian content goes beyond statutory obligations to become a sustainable economic strategy that creates jobs, develops technical expertise, strengthens local supply chains and retains more 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 Project Certification and Authorisation, Engr. Austin Uzoka, identified commitment, technology and financing as three fundamental requirements for building a resilient Nigerian content ecosystem.
Ogbe challenged stakeholders to look beyond compliance and address the deeper issues of industrial sustainability, particularly how Nigeria could maintain major industrial assets, strengthen domestic supply chains and ensure that investments in critical infrastructure deliver lasting economic benefits.
Referring to the challenges associated with the country’s publicly owned refineries, Ogbe stressed the importance of developing local goods, works, services and supply-chain capabilities to support the continuous operations of the Dangote Refinery.
He noted that constructing world-class industrial facilities was only part of the task, adding that Nigeria also needed to develop and maintain the indigenous capabilities required to sustain such investments.
According to him, reliable domestic supply chains are essential to supporting industrial facilities, developing local expertise and ensuring that technical knowledge remains within Nigeria.
He warned that without strong local supply chains, some of the economic benefits of industrial investments could flow outside the country, limiting domestic value creation.
On technology, the NCDMB executive secretary stressed the need to develop Nigerian expertise to operate, maintain and sustain industrial facilities rather than rely indefinitely on foreign capabilities.
He also identified access to financing as a major constraint facing indigenous businesses, explaining that high interest rates and delays in accessing funds could prevent Nigerian enterprises from executing projects, expanding operations and competing effectively in the oil and gas industry.
Ogbe further challenged stakeholders to consider how Nigeria could nurture the next generation of large-scale indigenous industrialists and support investors seeking to establish refineries and related facilities.
Acknowledging the Dangote Group’s contribution to industrial development, he urged industry players to support emerging indigenous investors, noting that a stronger domestic refining sector could strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global oil and gas industry.
Beyond its regulatory responsibilities, the NCDMB reiterated its commitment to creating an enabling environment in which Nigerian businesses could participate meaningfully, develop technical competence and compete for opportunities across the oil and gas sector.
In his presentation, 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 comply with Nigerian content requirements, 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 facilitate business growth and deepen indigenous participation rather than create unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles.
He identified four key compliance pillars: Nigerian content planning, workforce localisation, local procurement and capacity development.
Under these requirements, companies bidding for projects are expected to submit Nigerian content plans showing how they intend to maximise indigenous participation. Employers are also required to prioritise qualified Nigerians, procure locally available goods and services, and invest in skills development and technology transfer.
On expatriate employment, Ajimijaye explained that foreign personnel could be engaged where genuine skills gaps existed. However, companies were expected to work with the Board to establish those gaps and develop succession plans that would progressively prepare Nigerians to take over such positions.
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 help the Board 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 encourage indigenous innovation, improve competitiveness and enable Nigerian companies to export technical expertise.
Highlighting the reported 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 said in-country value retention stood at approximately 61 per cent, below the 70 per cent target, and called for stronger collaboration among regulators, operators and service providers to close the gap.
He urged industry players to view Nigerian content not merely as a regulatory obligation but as an opportunity to expand businesses, develop technical expertise and build a more competitive domestic energy industry.
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 deliver sustainable Nigerian content unless individuals, businesses and institutions genuinely embraced the responsibility of building Nigeria’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 go beyond sourcing raw materials to include skills transfer, workforce development and the growth of indigenous contractors into businesses capable of executing increasingly complex projects.
The Director of Legal Services at NCDMB, Dr. Naboth Onyesoh, called for greater coordination among regulatory institutions, stressing that investment facilitation, petroleum regulation and Nigerian content compliance must work together to advance national economic interests.
He argued that engagement among government agencies should clarify statutory responsibilities, eliminate unnecessary duplication and produce practical solutions rather than become a contest over institutional authority.
Onyesoh also addressed the perception that the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) was the sole regulator within free zones. He explained that its investment-promotion responsibilities did not override the statutory mandates of other government institutions.
According to him, free-zone incentives designed to attract investment and improve the ease of doing business did not exempt operators from applicable federal laws.
He noted that, depending on the nature of their operations, petroleum businesses remained subject to the relevant requirements of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the NCDMB.
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 its provisions remained central to promoting indigenous participation, technology transfer, employment and domestic value retention.
He cautioned against narrow interpretations 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 the Board on vessel verification and indigenous participation in maritime operations.
He urged OGFZA and other 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 gathering of key stakeholders united by a common 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 in strengthening the collaboration between the Dangote Group and the Board.
