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By Godwin Chukwumaechi
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, NLNG has announced that 100% of its management staff are now Nigerians.
This is as over 95% of its workforce are also Nigerians.
The company announced that the feat was made possible through sttrategic local and international trainings to grow professionals of global standards.
Dr Philip Mshebila, managing and chief executive officer of the Nigeria LNG who made this public at the Nigerian Content Stakeholders Retreat at Bonny, described its Nigerian workforce as its greatest asset.
He said the company provides comprehensive trainings, and scholarships to cultivate local talent, while also actively engaging local vendors, to promote the growth of Nigerian businesses and bolster local economies.
“NLNG maintains a strong preference for sourcing goods and services locally, whenever practicable”, Dr. Mshebila stressed, adding that while the company appreciates the outstanding contributions of major foreign partners, “we insist on capacity development and knowledge transfer to encourage Nigerian companies to get more involved in the technical processes.
“We want to see more partnerships with local manufacturers, more empowerment for competitive edge, more import substitution with locally manufactured spares and parts”.
“Since commencement of operations in 1990, NLNG has maintained unwavering commitment to local content development through significant investment in skills development programmes that empower Nigerian workers and companies with the knowledge and expertise required to drive economic activities in the nation’s Oil and Gas sector and associated industries,” he said.
The NLNG chief executive said the retreat and award ceremony was designed to reaffirm NLNG’s commitment to upholding local content development as a catalyst for the economic advancement of the nation, adding that through NLNG’s Nigerian Content policy, the company has consistently championed the development of indigenous and national economic potentials while fostering a self-sufficient and competitive workforce for sustainable development.
According to Dr Mshelbila, NLNG recognises its pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of local content development in Nigeria, restating that the company’s commitment to Nigerian Content development aligns with its profound belief in Nigeria’s boundless potentials which can be unleashed by nurturing and harnessing local talents, Nigerian companies and associated resources, that will in turn help build a stronger, more prosperous nation.
This, he said, includes technology transfer, given the high-tech plant and operations of the NLNG Plant in Bonny Island.
He said the event provided a platform for the cohesion of NLNG’s vision of being a globally competitive LNG company helping to build a better Nigeria, and the goal of the NCDMB as the umpire for Nigerian Content Development.
Delivering the keynote address at the three-day event, the executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr Simbi Wabote expressed concern over the challenges of inadequate gas supply to the NLNG Plant and promised to support the company along the lines of approving third party gas injectors and sanctioning new deepwater gas projects.
He added; “most of the marginal operators have also found gas but part of their challenge is where to send the gas.”
Engr Wabote lauded the NLNG for its remarkable success at promoting Nigerian Content, recalling that at the inception, the company’s management level had 90 per cent expatriates and 10 per cent Nigerians.”
“However, the table has now turned the other way, with the entire management now consisting of Nigerians,” he added.
High point of the award night was the recognition of NLNG partner companies for outstanding performance in their partnership with NLNG. Notable among them are EVOMEC Global Services Limited, Coleman Cables and Wires, A.O Brownson Enterprises, Alfred Temile LPG Tanker and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited.