Yemisi Izuora
Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc has emerged as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board’s (NCDMB) most impactful independent upstream operating company for its local content initiatives at the Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) held at the new NCDMB headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The NOGOF is an initiative of the NCDMB held from April 4 to April 5 this year, and was themed: “Maximising Investments in the oil and Gas Industry for the Benefit of the Nigerian People“.
The two-day programme had in attendance major players across the upstream, midstream and downstream sub-sectors of the petroleum industry as well as government agencies, industry regulators and the National Assembly. It was aimed at showcasing opportunities in the oil and gas industry and expose available in-country capacity to all stakeholders.
The Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote, while presenting the award, congratulated Seplat for the achievement as the Company received accolades from many other stakeholders present at the event.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, in his address, commended the Executive Secretary on this initiative while reiterating that the essence of the fair was to find lasting solution to current challenges bedeviling the industry.
In a related development, the Operations Director, Seplat, Mr. Effiong Okon, was among the panelists in a discussion focused on local content during the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) CAPE VII Congress & Exhibition at the Sipopo International Conference Centre, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, April 1 to 5.
Okon said local content was about economic development, capacity building and financial empowerment, adding that Africa needed effective local content initiatives to be competitive and to emancipate its people from poverty.
“Local content provides one of those grey opportunities for us to leverage on going forward as it gets local companies engaged in our business,” the Seplat operation director noted.
The event, which was organised by Africa Oil & Power, brought together all APPO petroleum ministers and private sector oil and gas leaders. The APPO serves as a platform for cooperation and harmonisation of efforts, collaboration, sharing of knowledge and skills among African oil producing countries.
The achievement of the company in the areas of local content is attributed to adherence and implementation of the Local Content Act. Seplat has continuously worked at boosting her growth and performance by empowering and utilising Nigerian businesses.
The conference had participation from the Organisation of Petroleum exporting Countries (OPEC), African countries, oil majors, oil servicing firms, indigenous independent oil players, regulators, amongst others.