Nigeria rejects 328 expatriate requests from oil firms in 12 months

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has rejected 328 expatriate applications from oil firms just as it hits 83 per cent of its 10-tear roadmap target

Platforms Africa reports that the Manager of strategy at the NCDMB, Mr. Olubisi Okunola, who reeled out these data at the capacity building workshop for media stakeholders in Lagos, maintained that the board received more applications for expatriates quota increase in 2023 than in 2022, leading to more rejection in 2023 than in 2022.

Giving the latest Nigerian Content data just released in December, to journalists, Okunola said; “In 2023, 1484 applications for expatriates were received by the board, 1156 reqursts granted, while 328 applications were rejected.

Compare this to 2022 data, there were 1125 applications, 943 reqursts granted, while 172 applications were denied.”

Reiterating Okunola’s view, Manager, Corporate Communications of NCDMB, Esueme Dan Kikile, said that the board has achieved “83% level of achievement for its 10-year roadmap.”

He continued; “The foundation for NCDMB was laid in 2001 when former President Olusequn Obasanjío inaugurated the Presidential Committee on Local Content in the Oil and Gas Industry. He mandated the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to drive the policy and set certain targets.

“In its efforts to implement the policy, the national oil company set up the Nigerian Content Division within its system and issued some Nigerian content directives to industry stakeholders.”

He continued; “Since there was no force of law behind the Nigerian content directives, operators of the industry found it convenient to comply on the best endeavour basis, and other industry stakeholders to work closely with the National Assemblv to develop the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Bil.
During the succeeding administration of late President Umaru YarAdua/Goodluck Jonathan, the National Assembly passed the NOGICD Bill.

“President Goodluck Jonathan assented the Bill into law on April 22 and this gave birth to the NCDMB.
Dr. Ernest Nwapa, former staff of the Nigerian Content Division of NNPC served as the pioneer Executive Secretary from April 2010 to May | 2015. He was succeeded by Arc Denzel Kentebe. In September 2016, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote was appointed as the 3rd substantive Executive Secretary of the Board.

“Now, the board is under a new Executive Secretary in the personal. Of Engineer Felix Omatsola Ogbe.