By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has revealed his agency’s intention to increase funds lent to qualified oil and gas players under the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund) from $100 million to $200 million.
The increment, according to him, would ensure that more deserving companies benefit from the fund.
Speaking during a visit to the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Olukayode Pitan, in Lagos recently, the NCDMB boss explained that the new governance framework for the fund had been finalized and the updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the BOI would be signed within the next few weeks to signal the take-off of the scheme.
Key features of the NCI Fund, according to the Executive Secretary, are that the loans will be disbursed directly by the BOI at single digit interest rate and repaid within five years.
Mr Wabote stressed that only contributors to the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF), with bankable proposals in the oil and gas industry can approach BOI for the NCI Fund facility.
He noted that whereas there were various intervention funds for other critical sectors of the economy like agriculture, aviation, mining and others, there was none for the oil and gas sector before now.
The NCDMB and BOI launched the NCI Fund in July 2016 with $100 million but it suffered delays as efforts were being made to fine-tune the governance process.
The NCI Fund replaced the original model whereby the NCDF provided partial guarantees and 50 percent interest rebate to service companies who obtained facilities from commercial banks for asset acquisition and projects execution. Industry stakeholders experienced difficulty accessing funds under NCDF model, necessitating a change of strategy by the Board.
Industry stakeholders, including the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) had described the NCI Fund model as a great initiative that would address the paucity of funding and inability to access credit which often beset manufacturers, service providers and other key players in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
In his comments during the visit, the Managing Director of BOI expressed delight at the partnership between the Bank and NCDMB.
He said BOI has presence in 21 states of the federation and is well positioned to support the Board achieve it objectives in effective loans disbursement and management for the oil and gas industry.
Mr Pitan assured that BOI will work with NCDMB to source additional pool of funds for this vital sector of the economy.
The NCI Fund is sourced from the statutory NCDF which is funded from one percent that is deducted from the value of all upstream contracts. The NCDF is underpinned by Section 104 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, which provides that the funds be used for developing capacity in the oil and gas industry. Subsection 3 of Section 104 also provides that “the fund shall be managed by the Nigerian Content Development Board and employed for projects, programmes and activities directed at increasing Nigerian Content in the oil and gas industry.”
The Board set up an advisory committee in 2012 for the NCDF, with a view to deepen transparency and ensure involvement of key stakeholders in the administration. Representatives of the international operating companies, PETAN, Oil and Gas Trainers Association (OGTAN) and BOI make up the advisory committee.
Dipo Olowookere 
Adedapo Adesanya