By Ono Yima
Abdulmalik, director of monitoring & evaluation, NCDMB made this point during a Panel Discussion titled, “Exportation of Local Capacity: Maximizing Regional Opportunities”
The director pointed out that local content is about building and sustaining capacity, which requires thinking beyond the oil and gas sector and even beyond Nigeria.
He emphasized the importance of faith in the law, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has passed executive orders to support this. Abdulmalik stressed that capacity building is essential before discussing capacity exportation.
He noted that the NCDMB supports AfCFTA, emphasizing that local content stands for value addition and our local content must meet global standards.
The panelists discussed strategies for fostering the exportation of local capacity to enhance regional value. They identified regional linkage opportunities and emphasized how regional collaboration can support GDP growth. The discussion also highlighted the barriers to trade and export that have been mitigated by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), positioning Nigeria as a center of excellence with services and expertise that meet global standards.
The Panel discussion was moderated by George Onafowokan, Managing Director, Coleman Cables & Wires.
Other members of the Panel include Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi OFR, Chairman, Nestoil Limited ; Henry Okolie-Aboh, Managing Director & CEO, Westfield Energy Resources; Olusegun Awolowo, Executive Secretary, National Action Committee on AfCFTA (represented by Olusegun Olutayo, Senior Trade Policy and Law Expert/Lead Trade Enablement); Engr. Dr. Emeka Okwuosa CON, Chairman & Group CEO, OILSERV Ltd (represented by Nadeem Hashmi, Group Executive, Energy & New Business, OILSERV Ltd)