By Peace Udugba -The daily torch media
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has initiated a major overhaul of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF), setting the stage for more impactful delivery of Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry.
The strategic reset was unveiled during a two-day retreat and the first half of the NCCF’s 2026 Steering Committee Meeting, where stakeholders emphasized the need for a clear and actionable roadmap to reposition the forum as a more effective driver of in-country capacity development.
Declaring the retreat open, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the gathering as a defining moment in the evolution of the NCCF. He noted that while the forum has recorded steady growth since its inception, a more deliberate and strategic direction is now required.
“The NCCF began as a vision, modest in structure but bold in intent. Today, we can confidently say that this platform has grown, strengthened by collaboration and sustained by our shared commitment to advancing Nigerian content,” he said.
Represented by the Acting Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ogbe stressed the importance of intentional planning and long-term impact. He urged participants to use the retreat as an opportunity to critically assess current realities and chart a clearer path forward.
A key highlight of the session was a baseline study conducted by Ernst & Young, aimed at benchmarking the NCCF against global best practices, identifying gaps, and enhancing its relevance. However, Ogbe emphasized that success would depend not just on frameworks, but on the commitment and quality of stakeholder engagement.
Facilitating the session, EY Partner Damilola Aloba outlined three core objectives of the retreat: strengthening leadership alignment on the NCCF’s long-term direction, improving coordination between the forum, its Sectoral Working Groups (SWGs), and NCDMB, and fostering shared ownership of its mission.
Aloba revealed that stakeholder consultations uncovered several structural and operational challenges, including unclear strategic direction, delays in project approvals, and limited clarity around decision-making processes. Other issues identified were funding constraints, weak project evaluation systems, and the absence of clear criteria for assessing project viability and impact.
Despite these gaps, he acknowledged the strong commitment of SWG members, particularly their contributions to capacity development initiatives across the oil and gas value chain.
Earlier, Acting Deputy Manager of NCCF, Bright Amatoru, provided an overview of the forum’s operations. He explained that the NCCF, established under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act in 2014, serves as a statutory platform for stakeholder collaboration across 12 sectoral working groups.
Amatoru highlighted key achievements, including the development of national operational standards to harmonize capacity-building efforts and the creation of the Marine Assets Listing System, which provides a comprehensive database of marine assets in the industry. He also cited initiatives such as fabrication benchmarking studies and diversity-focused programs like the Women in Oil and Gas Conference.
However, he admitted that the lack of a clearly defined strategic framework has limited the forum’s ability to effectively prioritize interventions.
The ongoing retreat is part of NCDMB’s broader effort to develop a comprehensive NCCF strategic roadmap aligned with its 10-year plan and evolving industry expectations.
Participants are expected to generate actionable ideas, refine governance structures, and establish a clear execution pathway to strengthen the forum’s impact across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
