LOCAL CONTENT CHAMPIONS
‘The Local Content Policy Has Given Significant Opportunities to Nigerians’ – Akalabu the back of various huge projects in the oil and gas industry spanning over 17 years. His quest to add value to his organization’s corporate image and human capital base has resulted in a number of initiatives to enhance economic sustainability within producing regions and maximize local benefits through partnerships among government, companies and civil society organizations. He joined Saipem in September 2018 to support the company’s vision to sustain its leadership role as service providers with complex capabilities in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry.
M
r. Uzoma Akalabu, is the Nigerian Content Manager for SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Limited. He bagged his first degree in Accounting and MBA in Finance and Strategic Planning. He has worked in various managerial roles spanning 28 years across a range of industries with 21 years in the Oil and Gas industry both as contractor and in the upstream business. He has worked for blue chip contractors and operators including Willbros, Sirpi-Alusteel, Dubi Oil, Worley Parsons/DeltaAfrik Engineering, Seven Energy among others. He was at the core of Willbros, Worley Parsons and Seven Energy Local Content Development spanning over 15 years to support company vision, strategy and growth at various levels. He has passion for Human capacity building and import substitution, to creating a true local content for the industry. He is well experienced in business development and collaboration, and has used his diverse trainings and experience to facilitate strong partnerships and establishment of Grassroots Vendor Development Program in various Niger-Delta communities in numerous areas of operation since 2010; He is also a champion of the deepening the Nigerians can do it ‘Global’ initiative flagged off in Knightsbridge, London in 2013, an associate member of ICQC and Nigerian Energy Institute. He has pioneered many training programs at
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Majorwaves Energy Report
In this brief interview with Majorwaves Energy Report’s Editor, Margaret Nongo-Okojokwu on the sidelines of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunities Fair (NOGOF), held in Yenagoa Bayelsa State; Mr. Akalabu spoke on SAIPEM’s approach to Local Content, vendor development and support, saying SAIPEM has found sustainability in its investment in the Nigerian people and its belief in the Nigerian Market. Excerpts. What is SAIPEM’s approach to Local Content Development and the opportunities here? The Approach for SAIPEM as a multinational service provider is driven by the following factors: * Continuous presence in Nigeria in the last 51 years. Our belief in the Nigerian project and progress, understanding the Nigerian market and culture of the people is a huge factor to adding value to Nigeria. * Continuous investment in Nigeria. In the last 3 years, we have invested over $50m in fabrication yard upgrade and with plan to deploy more resources in same direction in no distant future. * The company currently employs over 1,900 people with over 92% as Nigerians. This is a deliberate
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effort to ensure that Nigerians are provided with the best opportunities in the oil and gas industry. * An average of 100,000 man-hours is dedicated annually to training since 2002 both internally and at the back of projects in collaboration with the NCDMB. * Saipem mentors Nigerian companies at the back of every project to improve their capability and capacity to ensure their business growth. * Technology Transfer has remained one of Saipem hallmarks in driving Nigerian Content. We deploy Nigerian personnel to our sister project locations across the world. Interestingly too, our Nigerian Engineers developed a specialized Confined Space Welding methods which they currently share at our various international locations. This is true local content in action. So in this opportunities fair by the NCDMB, what have you seen so far that indicates or showcases opportunities in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry? What I’ve seen in the fair is a robust approach by the NCDMB. This is like really thinking outside the box. NCDMB has gone progressively unconventional which is very good for the Nigerian business environment; unconventional in the sense that there is a buy-in from the promoters and operators especially the IOCs; there is a synergy between NCDMB and the operators in the industry to showcase what their plans are in the years ahead to help Nigerian contractors and even those beyond the shores of Nigeria to plan. For a company like SAIPEM, it also helps us to plan as a multinational company on the strategies to put in place before project award. But SAIPEM has a history;
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