The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is taking firm steps to address allegations of expatriate quota abuse within the oil and gas sector, ensuring compliance with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act 2010.

This development follows a recent protest led by the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Mr. Festus Osifo, together with other union members who called attention to these violations.

At the centre of these investigations is Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO), a repeat offender in flouting Nigerian oil industry guidelines. SEEPCO’s history of violating the NOGICD Act is reported to be both troubling and well-documented.

In 2017, the NCDMB identified five expatriates employed by SEEPCO without proper approvals, leading to sanctions. As remediation, the company trained five Nigerians in marine engineering and subsurface drilling engineering for nine months.

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Then, in 2018, the violations escalated, with SEEPCO deploying 402 expatriates without NCDMB approval. Further breaches included awarding contracts and purchase orders without necessary permissions.

As a consequence, the company was directed to take these specific measures: Disengage the 402 expatriates and provide evidence of their disengagement and exit to the Board; Commence and comply with the NCDMB Expatriate Quota application process; Comply with the Board’s requirements for tendering and awarding projects, contracts, and purchase orders; Complete the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) reconciliation exercise and pay outstanding remittances; Submit up-to-date statutory reports on Nigerian Content and comply with the review process; and Train and employ 40 Nigerians as part of the remediation/penalty.

Despite these measures, SEEPCO ignored directives until NCDMB initiated legal proceedings. An out-of-court settlement was later reached, and SEEPCO completed the training of 40 Nigerians by 2022. However, the company failed to meet its employment commitments and only partially addressed NCDF remittances, leaving several issues raised unresolved.

Current investigations and sanctions

Back in March 2025, following fresh allegations from PENGASSAN, the NCDMB reaffirmed its commitment to investigating SEEPCO’s non-compliance. Towards this goal, the Board has scheduled a performance review session with SEEPCO to assess its adherence to expatriate quota guidelines.

Meanwhile, SEEPCO has been granted expatriate quota approval for only seven positions between 2017 and 2023.

While addressing breaches captured in Saturday’s presser, the NCDMB commended Nigerian workers for their excellence in top leadership and technical roles. They were unexpected heroes and heroines during the COVID-19 pandemic when expatriates returned to their home countries.

At the time, Nigerian oil and gas personnel executed critical operations on Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platforms, ensuring that the industry stayed afloat despite the absences. These successes were made possible through strategic enforcement of the NOGICD Act and capacity-building initiatives by the NCDMB and the Board.

NCDMB states that it remains steadfast in its mission to enforce the NOGICD Act, deepen Nigerian Content, and create jobs for Nigerians. Companies like SEEPCO that persist in flouting regulations will continue to face sanctions.

The Board has called for more collaborative efforts with stakeholders, including oil unions like PENGASSAN, which has brought its attention to the alleged recurrent breach.

Now, as investigations into SEEPCO’s actions proceed, the NCDMB’s resolve sends a clear message: violations of Nigeria’s oil industry guidelines will not go unpunished.

Meiza Nigeria