The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has stepped up efforts to improve compliance and stakeholder awareness of its Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) processes with a sensitization and engagement forum held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The event, tagged “NCDMB Stakeholders Sensitization and Engagement Forum,” brought together chief executives of indigenous oil and gas firms, host community contractors, vendors, and representatives of three financial institutions — Bank of Industry (BoI), Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), and First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
According to the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the forum was designed to clarify the process for obtaining the 1% NCDF Compliance Certification, unveil the upgraded NCDF payment portal, and explain the revised Community Contractors Scheme.
Represented by the Director of Finance and Personnel Management, Mr. Ossa Uchendu, Ogbe said the Board remains committed to promoting compliance with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, while ensuring that local participation in the sector continues to expand.
He disclosed that the Board has introduced a new Nigerian Content Fund Clearance Certificate (NCFCC) — a verifiable instrument that will serve as proof of compliance with Section 104 of the Act, which mandates a one percent deduction from the value of every upstream contract for local content development.
Ogbe noted that the NCDMB recognizes the importance of financing in achieving its mandate and lauded its financial partners — BoI, NEXIM, and FCMB — for supporting indigenous oil and gas companies through targeted funding schemes.
In her goodwill message, the Executive Director, Large Enterprises, Bank of Industry, Dr. Ifeoma Uzokpala, said the forum underscored a shared commitment to building a competitive and inclusive oil and gas ecosystem. She emphasized that access to finance must be backed by transparency and service excellence, adding that BoI remains committed to ensuring that the Nigerian Content Development Fund continues to empower local players in the industry.
Also speaking, the Head, Specialized Business, NEXIM Bank, Mr. Mohammed Awami, commended NCDMB’s leadership in driving local content development. He reiterated the bank’s readiness to collaborate with the Board in financing export-oriented and technology-driven projects aligned with the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
During interactive sessions, some indigenous company CEOs raised concerns about the reluctance of commercial banks to issue guarantees for BoI loans and the failure of some major contractors to honor payment obligations to subcontractors. Responding, panelists urged the inclusion of bank representatives in future engagements to enhance accountability and coordination.
In his intervention, Engr. Jeff Tuatongha, NCDMB’s General Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation (Upstream), clarified that while the Board lacks statutory powers to compel erring contractors, it could mediate when formally notified.
Presentations at the event covered key topics such as “Understanding the NCDMB Compliance Certificate System,” “Navigating the Upgraded NCDF Payment Portal,” “The Revised Community Contractors Finance Scheme,” and “NEXIM Oil and Gas Services Support Facilities.”
In her closing remarks, Mrs. Fateema Mohammed, General Manager, NCDF, described the engagement as “more than an event, but a continuous conversation.” She announced that the next edition of the forum would hold in Warri, Delta State, with the NCFCC coming into effect on January 1, 2026.
Other NCDMB officials in attendance included Engr. Bashir Ahmed, Engr. Mustapha Abdullahi, and Mr. Teleola Oyeleke, among others.
