The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has intensified efforts to strengthen relations with youths and civil society organisations in Bayelsa State, announcing plans for more frequent engagements aimed at broadening public understanding of Nigerian Content policies.
At a stakeholders session held on Friday at the Golden Tulip Resort in Yenagoa, the Executive Secretary of the Board, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager of the Corporate Communications Division, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, said the Board is expanding sensitisation activities beyond industry players to include grassroots communities. He emphasised that youths play a crucial role in sustaining the gains recorded under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.
Ogbe explained that the Board is mandated by Section 67 of the Act to consistently host workshops, conferences, and public enlightenment programmes. He noted that compliance levels and cooperation across the sector have improved significantly since the Act came into force in 2010.
In a detailed presentation on the Board’s activities, Dr. Ezeobi described the NOGICD Act as a major turning point for the oil and gas industry, ending decades of foreign dominance and boosting local capacity. He pointed out that Bayelsa State has been a major beneficiary of the Board’s strategic investments.
He highlighted the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, a 17-storey headquarters building that now serves as a hub for industry activities. Nearby is the 204-room NCDMB Conference Hotel, currently over 80 percent complete and expected to boost the state’s hospitality sector upon commissioning in 2026. He added that the Board’s presence has also attracted private investments such as the Best Western Plus Hotel at Oxbow Lake.
Ezeobi also drew attention to the NCDMB Gas Hub in Gbarain, designed to support gas-based enterprises and industrial growth. The hub currently hosts the Rungas LPG Cylinder Manufacturing Plant, Azikel Refinery, and other operators. He further noted that the Board, in partnership with Agip, built a 10-megawatt power plant in Elebele, which supplies electricity to the Nigerian Content Tower, the Bayelsa Government House, and other essential facilities, with excess power available for interested users.
He also referenced the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park at Emeyal 1, developed under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme to promote local manufacturing of components required for oil and gas operations. The park features factory spaces, steady power supply, workshops, clinics, training centres, and other essential infrastructure. To attract manufacturers, the Board has created a 50-million-dollar NOGaPS Manufacturing Fund.
Among other major projects highlighted were the Brass Island Shipyard, developed in partnership with the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, and the Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre, funded by the NCDMB, PTDF, Renaissance Africa Energy, and the Bayelsa State Government. Both projects are expected to enhance industrial and historical significance in the region.
Beyond infrastructure, Ezeobi stated that the Board continues to invest in human capital, noting that thousands of youths in Bayelsa have benefitted from its vocational training and empowerment programmes.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Bubaraye Dakolo, urged youths to prioritise dialogue, accurate information, and respectful engagement when dealing with companies operating in their communities. He maintained that negotiation remains essential to achieving meaningful and lasting benefits.
Representatives of youth groups and civil society organisations commended the NCDMB for its outreach efforts and capacity-building initiatives. They encouraged the Board to create pathways for employment opportunities for beneficiaries of its training programmes, while pledging continued cooperation.
CSOs and youth groups from across Bayelsa State and beyond participated in the sensitisation programme.
