THE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has said that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act is not meant to kick out foreign companies or expatriates.
It said the act was aimed at supporting foreign and local firms to invest and domicile facilities in the country and create skilled and professional jobs for Nigerians.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, made this statement in Port Harcourt at the presentation and demonstration of Trelleborg Offshore and SDH Integrated Services’ in-country capabilities in deep offshore projects and pipeline leak and intrusion detection systems.
Calling on Nigerians to take technology development and domiciliation seriously, Wabote stressed that the goal of being a truly independent economy would continue to be an illusion should they fail to do so.
He hailed the indigenous oil servicing firm, SDH Integrated Services, and its foreign technical partners, Trelleborg Offshore-Europe, for their efforts in pursuing a transfer of technology through partnership.
Wabote said, “For our friends visiting from Trelleborg Offshore-Europe, as long as you are willing to provide Nigerians with jobs, set up plants, facilities, equipment in Nigeria, then you will find a friend in the NCDMB.
“Like we have always preached at the NCDMB, the NOGICD Act is not here to kick out every foreign company or expatriate; rather, the law supports both foreign and Nigerian firms willing to invest and domicile facilities in-country and create skilled and professional jobs for Nigerians.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of SDH Integrated Services, Mr. Morrison Fiddi, and its foreign partners, Trelleborg Offshore, expressed their commitment towards boosting the Nigerian Local Content programme.
Fiddi stated that the company had completed its first insulation project for the Egina venture, adding that its wet insulations and manifold refurbishment, which were previously done overseas, were now being perfected in Nigeria, in compliance with local content regulation.
The firm demonstrated two solutions named Vikotherm P7 and Vikotherm R2, describing the P7 as a solid polyurethane insulation for wet insulation system, while the R2 remained a site applied rubber-based thermal insulation used in deep offshore projects.
