NLNG restates commitment to Nigerian Content policy
The management of the Nigeria Liquefied natural Gas (NLNG) Limited has restated the commitment of the company to delivering full economic benefit from all its operations.
The company which leads gas export operations in Nigeria pledged that it would drive value derivation beyond statutory compliance to Nigerian Content targets as set out in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICD) 2010.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, declared during a visit to the Executive Secretary (ES) of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that the NLNG considers Nigerian Content a core part of its strategy in line with its corporate vision of being ‘a globally competitive LNG company helping to build a better Nigeria’.
Dr. Mshelbila commended the NCDMB on the successful and historic relationship between the regulator and the company which emphasized joint value creation, citing the unique Service Level Agreement (SLA) between NLNG and NCDMB as a classic example of the Board enabling business.
He also expressed appreciation to the Board for the collaboration which had led to the smooth take-off of the Train 7 project which recently recorded seven million safe man-hours without a Lost-Time Injury incident.
Dr Philip mentioned that NLNG remained committed to 100 percent in-country supply of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) volumes and stressed that, within the context of the global energy transition, support of regulators like the NCDMB would be critical in ensuring access, availability and affordability of energy for domestic consumption. He proposed the formation of an NLNG-NCDMB Technical Working Group which would meet periodically to discuss and resolve such strategic and other operational issues.
In response, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB congratulated NLNG for smooth and successful leadership transition while maintaining national pride of being led by a 100 percent Nigerian senior management team.
He assured that the regulator would continue to work with NLNG to deliver on its Nigerian Content commitments in its Train 7 Project to positively impact local manufacturing capacity and employment levels in the country. He encouraged the company to begin preparations for Train 8 and also endorsed the idea of an exchange programme of staff between both organizations to deepen knowledge of each other’s inner workings for better partnership and business efficiency.
Engr. Simbi said the Board would continue to adhere to its Business-to-Business Service Level Agreement (SLA), as it remained the first in the industry and had set a standard for shortening the contracting cycle and improving compliance with the NOGICD Act. He encouraged NLNG to plug into ongoing efforts by NCDMB to widen LPG distribution and storage across multiple zones of the country.
NLNG delegation included NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye; General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr. Andy Odeh; General Manager, Human Resources, Terhemba Makeri; Manager, Contracts and Procurement Management, Abdul Umar; Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Engr. Dagogo Buowari; Manager, Community Development, Charles Epelle, among other NLNG staff.
NLNG is owned by four Shareholders, namely, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited which holds overriding 49 percent interest; Shell Gas B.V. with operating 25.6 percent interest; TotalEnergies Gaz & Electricite Holdings with 15 percent interest; and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr.l with 10.4 percent interest.
