The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has charged the Management of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Limited to upscale its compliance level with regards to Nigerian Content requirements for oil and gas industry operations.
Addressing top executives of the oil company who paid him a courtesy visit at the NCDMB corporate headquarters in Yenagoa on Tuesday, Engr. Ogbe decried several cases of noncompliance observed in different aspects of the company’s operations, stressing that NCDMB would not condone such flagrant infractions.
“Complying with the law is the easiest thing to do,” he told his guests, pointing out that cutting corners is unethical and fraught with risks that could prove ultimately costly. He noted that full compliance would not hinder the company from operating profitably.
He said he was pleased with the pledge by the company Management to reset its relationship with the NCDMB and to foster collaboration that would be mutually beneficial.
“I want to work with you on a sound footing,” he assured, adding, “We want to create an enabling environment for companies to thrive.”
Members of the NCDMB Management at the meeting stated their own experiences with Sterling Oil in the course of enforcement of regulations and monitoring of compliance.
The Director, Planning, Research, and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Isaac Yalah, said expatriate quota issues in Sterling need to be addressed, while the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Alhaji Abdulmalik Halilu, reminded Sterling Oil that NCDMB has set timelines for it to address the various areas of noncompliance, emphasizing the need for those timelines to be complied with.
For his part, the Director, Project Certification and Authorisation Directorate (PICAD), Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, said tokenism in compliance was unacceptable to the NCDMB and that Sterling Oil needs to fulfil all Nigerian Content requirements.
Similarly, the Director, Legal Services, Barr. Naboth Onyesoh, told the Sterling Management that it was desirable for the company to reset relationship with the NCDMB but reminded its Management that the impressive strides of the Board in local content implementation was as a result of fruitful collaboration with other industry stakeholders.
The General Manager, Commercial Ventures, Mr. Dortie Ejiro, observed that non-compliance and legacy issues at the company included noncompliance with human capacity expectations on projects and urged the Management to address same expeditiously.
In his own remarks, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, commended the oil company for its expressed desire to turn a new leaf and to align its own activities with the goals of the NCDMB. He noted that stakeholder collaboration is a key pillar of the Nigerian Content 10-year strategic roadmap, and charged the company to keep to its words.
Earlier at the meeting, the Chief Operating Officer of Sterling Oil, Mr. Mohit Barot, described the engagement with the NCDMB Management as “a launch pad to reset the relationship with the Board.”
He commended NCDMB for giant strides recorded in the past few years, noting that the Board has fostered deeper oil and gas development. He expressed the readiness of his company to key into projects and programmes of the Board such as the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGaPS) and the ongoing Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) 2025.
According to Mr. Barot, his company was prepared for meaningful collaboration with the NCDMB to foster the economic development of the country.
Sterling’s Group Chief Operating Officer was accompanied on the courtesy visit to the NCDMB by the company’s Regional Manager, Mr. Chandrakanth Kayarmar Ramesh, and the Nigerian Content Manager, Mr. David Ayongo
