NCDMB: 1,000 Nigerians Taking over Expatriate Jobs in Oil Industry

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has disclosed that at least 1,000 Nigerians have now taken over the jobs previously executed by expatriates in the oil and gas industry.

Speaking during a capacity building workshop for media stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, stressed that the move had helped to reduce the huge payments to foreigners and employed highly skilled Nigerians in the sector.

The programme was themed: “Strategic Communication as a Critical Pillar for the Attainment of Nigerian Content 10-year Roadmap,” and was organised by the NCDMB.

Represented by the General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Dr. Ginah Ginah, Wabote also dismissed insinuations that the board was out to nationalise businesses owned by foreigners, arguing however, that Nigerians who have built capacity to carry out such tasks must be considered.

He added that with the efforts of the board, a lot of the components now used in the oil and gas in the country were being produced in Nigeria, with the objective to hit 70 per cent participation or domiciliation by Nigerians in the next few years.

He said: “I have explained this before. We are not saying that everybody should go. But in line with the NOGICD Act, we have also been able to send away about 1,000 expatriates. This is allowed by the Act and it’s because these particular people were doing jobs that Nigerians can do.

“You will see an expatriate, in fact at the Brass LNG, they came to our office when they were setting up and part of their submissions to the NCDMB was about personnel; so, we saw security adviser, who was an expatriate.

“So, the executive secretary told the people that Nigeria fought in the First World War, the Second World War; we have had our own wars and we are tackling Boko Haram and you are telling us we don’t have experienced persons to take over security management?”