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LOCAL CONTENT Highpoint of the engagement was the decoration of the NCDMB R&D lapel pin on the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources by the Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Wabote. Also, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari has pledged NNPC’s resolve to partner with relevant government agencies and NCDMB on its steering committee to make decisions that will jointly support innovations in the oil and gas industry that will be beneficial to the nation. Mr. Kyari made this known at the NCDMB Research and Development Fair and Conference Roadshow visit to him by the Executive Secretary of the Board, Engr. Simbi Wabote. He further stated that the corporation intends to constitute a team of seasoned employees to lead the initiative which clearly fits into the NCDMB objective of growing local capacities and abilities with a commitment to participate in the Board’s R&D Framework to support indigenous competencies. The GMD also informed that it had transformed its R&D initiative to have a business concept christened, “Research, Technology and Innovation”, (RTI) so that focus will be on tackling contemporary challenges to deliver value addition to the industry. He announced that a conscious and major decision has been made to have an NCDMB representative on the NNPC R&D steering committee to create an industr y broad inclusion. Responding, the Executive Secretary of the Board expressed appreciation for the focus the GMD has brought to NNPC, stating that the NOGICD Act is very heavy on R&D which led to the constitution of the NCDMB Research and Development Council and that the NNPC is a part of it. He suggested that the R&D teams from both NNPC and the Board should work together to maximize the impact of R & D outcomes in the industry. The Nigerian Content boss extended an invitation to the GMD to deliver a Goodwill Message at the forthcoming R&D Fair and Conference proposed for May 12
– 14, 2020 which will enable the NNPC boss further espouse his intention to the industry to move research and development forward. Engr. Wabote reiterated the Board’s commitment to earmark $50million to support R&D with an assurance to collaborate with the NNPC to progress research and development. In a related development, Wabote has stated that adequate research and development is the panacea to the challenges facing the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. He disclosed this during the first quarter, 2020 Nigerian Content Research and Development Council (NCRDC) meeting held in Abuja, recently. He noted that NCRDC has made adequate progress to catalyze the development of indigenous technology in the oil and gas sector. Thus, the Board is accelerating the R & D framework to drive innovation in the country through the oil and gas sector. The Executive Secretary further emphasized, “Tremendous progress has been done all this while going back to all the things we have agreed to do, only yesterday we were with the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources as part of the roadshow to the proposed Research and Development Fair and Conference.” “Also, we met with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Natural Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) to brief him on the progress so far made, what we are doing today has encouraged the NNPC to wake up in terms of Research and Development, now they do not want us to run alone, by so doing they have reorganized themselves in order to be more focused and serious on research and development which we have agreed to put our efforts together to boost R&D in the oil and gas industry”, he said. During the quarterly meeting, the council deliberated on the progress report of its scheduled Research and Development Fair and Conference deliverables, programme and stakeholder participation for May12 -1 4, 2020, subject to the global situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
NOGICD Act: NCDMB takes sensitization campaign to Enugu
T
he Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has taken its sensitization/capacity building on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act to Enugu, southeast, Nigeria . T he one-day yout h sensitization workshop was aimed at enlightening the youths in the state on the opportunities that lie in the NOGICD Act and how to take advantage of them. In his remarks, the CEO of NATEO Multi-Services Limited, Nathan Egba , advised participants to take note and also take advantage of the activities, initiatives and opportunities of the Board. The Executive Secretary of the Board, Engr. Simbi Wabote, was represented by Engr. Ginah O. Ginah, General Manager, Corporate Communication/ Zonal Coordination, NCDMB. Ginah was accompanied to the workshop by Emma Okayare, Zonal Coordinator, Imo/Abia Zone and Adebayo Joseph, Zonal Coordinator, Ogun State.
Majorwaves Energy Report
APRIL 2020, Vol 3 No 4
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