By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
All is now set for the fourth edition of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) 2023 organized and hosted by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) with the theme “The Oil and Gas Industry – Catalyst and Fuel for the Industrialization of Nigeria.”
The biennial event scheduled to hold at the NCDMB Conference Hall in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on May 18 and 19 will explore emerging opportunities in the oil and gas industry, linkage sectors as well as the entire African continent.
The event which is in its fourth edition comes at a time the industry has agreed to accelerate development of the Nigerian hydrocarbon resources in the prevailing strong price cycle and ahead of demand uncertainties associated with energy transition.
The event brings operating companies, international industry technology developers and indigenous contractors together to explore partnerships and collaboration in delivering projects in the petroleum and linkage sectors. NOGOF 2023 is expected to further broaden opportunities for Nigerian players in the wider African petroleum provinces where activities are picking up.
Speaking ahead of the event in Abuja recently, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote explained that NOGOF was conceptualized in 2016 as part of the Board’s strategies to develop the oil and gas industry and provide a platform to showcase the various opportunities available in the oil and gas industry and foster necessary partnerships in the sector.
He expressed regrets that Nigerian oil and gas service companies missed out on several opportunities in the sector prior to the introduction of NOGOF because no fora existed to showcase forthcoming projects and give them ample time to prepare themselves and acquire requisite capacities.
He hinted that previous editions of NOGOF have made a tremendous impact on the Nigerian oil and gas industry, pointing to the ongoing Nigeria LNG Train 7 project as one of the visible benefits. He explained that 50 percent of the entire US$5bn project scope is currently being executed in-country through Nigerian vendors and that was achieved because key officials of the Nigeria LNG showcased the opportunities inherent in the project at the 2019 edition of NOGOF, thus enabling indigenous companies to prepare themselves adequately.
He said, “One of the greatest successes that we did record in this is that, when you look at NLNG Train 1 to 6, during its construction phase, if you go and check the level of Nigerian participation, it was near zero because LNG technology was alien to us and the activities, everything practically was done outside the country.
“But with the advent of NOGOF, today, 50% of the activities on NLG Train 7 is being done by Nigerians. It’s because we provided prior information which enabled them to prepare themselves to participate in that project. And I sincerely believe that if we want to build another train of an LNG, I can assure you that almost 70% of it will be done by Nigerians and in-country. So that’s one of the very significant benefits that we brought to bear with NOGOF” he said.
Wabote added that the local content accomplishment on the Train 7 project is a major departure from the insignificant levels that were recorded while constructing Train 1-6. He affirmed that Nigeria could target 70 percent of the entire project scope when the next train of the LNG would be executed.
On the expansion of 2023 NOGOF to linkage sectors and countries, the Executive Secretary explained that the oil and gas industry has the potential to catalyze industrialization and promote economic growth across sectors, not just in Nigeria, but across the continent. “We hope to stimulate investment, foster technology transfer, and enhance local content development across the African oil and gas value chain,” he added.
He emphasized the need to explore the opportunities that lie in other African countries, especially after we had built huge capacities in-country and they are not being matched by local opportunities and projects.
He said: “In that case, you need to expand your market outside. We tell our sister African countries that there is no need to go to America, Europe and Asia for oil and gas capacities that exist in the continent, an example is the FPSO integration facility in Lagos. They should come to Nigeria and other sister African countries, so we can share the benefits, reduce our costs and grow together, especially with the spirit of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA).
The Executive Secretary further stated that the ideas for hosting NOGOF 2023 are “aligned with the key objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010 (NOGICD) Act, which mandates the NCDMB to support the development of local capacities and capabilities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, foster institutional collaboration, maximize participation of Nigerians in oil and gas activities, link the oil and gas sector to other sectors of the economy, maximize utilization of Nigerian resources, among other objectives.”
He also dwelt on the theme of this year’s edition, which is “The Oil and Gas Industry – Catalyst and Fuel for the Industrialization of Nigeria,” describing it as important as it highlights the critical role of the oil and gas industry in fueling industrialization and overall development of Nigeria’s economy.
He added that the event will provide an opportunity for investors, operators, government officials, and major players across various sectors to engage in quality discussions.