NCDMB trains 120 Bayelsa youths, SMEs

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The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has concluded a two-week Oil and Gas Logistics and SMEs Readiness Development Programme for 120 youths and indigenous businesses in Bayelsa State, aimed at equipping them with the skills, industry knowledge and compliance requirements needed to compete effectively in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

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The programme, implemented by Tenacles Resource Limited, combined a five-day online orientation with intensive physical training in Yenagoa, exposing participants to opportunities across the oil and gas value chain while preparing them to meet industry standards.

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Speaking at the closing ceremony on Saturday in Yenagoa, the Executive Director of Tenacles Resource Limited, Mr Tonye Briggs, said the initiative was designed to empower youths, entrepreneurs and indigenous businesses from oil-producing communities and other parts of Bayelsa State to become active players in the country’s petroleum industry.

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Briggs explained that the programme commenced with an online screening and orientation phase that introduced participants to the objectives of the training and the expectations of the NCDMB.

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According to him, the online sessions focused on engagement with operators in the oil and gas sector, regulatory compliance, logistics and inventory management, and an overview of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

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He noted that the physical training built on the online sessions by providing practical knowledge on oil and gas logistics, inventory management, registration on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System and NipeX portals, as well as the compliance standards required to participate in the industry.

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According to Briggs, participants also took part in a business competition in which three outstanding businesses were selected to receive support in obtaining the compliance documents required for sustainable participation in the sector.

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He added that all participants were registered on the NCDMB portal and would benefit from a four-month mentorship and coaching programme that would expose them to job vacancies, business opportunities and industry updates.

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“We have been implementing a two-week Oil and Gas Logistics and SMEs Readiness Development Programme on behalf of the NCDMB to empower youths and indigenous businesses from Bayelsa State.

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“The participants have been equipped with knowledge on engaging operators, meeting compliance standards and identifying opportunities within the logistics and inventory space.

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“We have also registered them on the NCDMB portal and established a four-month coaching platform to expose them to opportunities and support their growth”, Briggs said.

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Briggs commended the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, for sustaining initiatives that promote indigenous participation in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, expressing confidence that similar programmes would benefit more Nigerians across the country.

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Delivering the keynote address, the Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa State Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Mr Edmund Dagogo, urged participants to maximise the opportunity provided by the training by applying the knowledge acquired to build sustainable businesses and careers within the oil and gas sector.

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He commended the collaboration between the NCDMB, Tenacles Resource Limited and the Bayelsa State Government, noting that the programme would help increase local participation in the nation’s petroleum industry.

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Participants described the training as transformational, saying it changed their perception of opportunities available in the oil and gas sector.

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One of the participants, Miss Douye Jumbo, said the programme broadened her understanding of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, and dispelled the notion that only multinational companies could participate in the industry.

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Another participant, Mr Excellent David Siri, described the programme as an eye-opener, noting that it demonstrated that opportunities in the oil and gas sector extend beyond technical professions.

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Siri, a pipeline welder specialising in Shielded Metal Arc Welding, said artisans, traders and entrepreneurs could also participate in the industry’s supply chain, provided they possessed relevant skills, operated legitimate businesses and met regulatory requirements.

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At the closing ceremony, participants received certificates, laptops and mentorship support to facilitate their registration on the NOGIC JQS platform and enhance the practical application of the knowledge gained during the training.

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The programme forms part of the NCDMB’s broader strategy to strengthen local content development by building the capacity of youths and indigenous businesses in oil-producing communities, enabling them to participate more competitively in Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain.

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