Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has agreed to select competent Nigerian vendors that will participate in the construction of the plant from the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS), the database of available capacities in the oil and gas industry managed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
Chief Operating Officer of the Dangote Refinery Project, Mr Giuseppe Surace, committed to this at the technical meeting held between top officials of the company and NCDMB at the refinery project site in Lekki, Lagos State few days ago.
Mr Surace affirmed that there were many advantages in patronizing the local market, adding, “Nigerian companies will get the first right of refusal. We will procure anything that is available in Nigeria.”
The COO confirmed there were several Nigerian Content opportunities in the company’s refinery and gas gathering projects but interested companies must submit competitive bids and have technical capabilities. He explained that the project is a private investment, hence the strategy is to get the best quality anywhere in the world at the most competitive price.
He advised local vendors to quote reasonable prices when bidding for industry projects, rather than believe that they would win jobs because of the Nigerian Content Act, irrespective of expensive quotations they submit.
Mr Surace added that Dangote Group engaged the services of some Nigerian companies on its fertilizer project which had reached an advanced stage of development and was committed to do the same on the 650,000 barrels per day refinery project, which will be completed in October 2019.
On his part, Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, promised that the board will assist the company in the utilization of the NOGICJQS database, to ensure that it maximizes the utilization of local personnel, goods and services in the construction and operations phase of the project.
“The Nigerian Content Act applies to every player in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and not just international companies.
“If Nigerian companies and investors procure everything from abroad then the essence of the Act will be defeated,” he said.
