NCDMB resets NCCF to fix gaps and drive local content delivery
A new roadmap, backed by stakeholder input and EY findings, aims to improve coordination, funding clarity and execution.
A strategic overhaul of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum is underway as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board moves to address structural gaps and reposition the platform for more effective delivery across the oil and gas sector.
At a two-day retreat and steering committee session held in 2026, the Board signalled a shift in focus from coordination to measurable outcomes, stressing the need for a clearer and more actionable roadmap for the forum.
The NCCF, established as a statutory platform for stakeholder collaboration under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, has been engaging industry players across sectoral working groups since 2014, but concerns around execution and direction have persisted.
Declaring the retreat open, Executive Secretary of the Board, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the session as a defining moment, noting that while the forum had recorded growth since inception, the next phase required deliberate and structured planning.
“The NCCF began as a vision, modest in structure but bold in intent. Today, we can confidently say that this baby has grown, nurtured by your dedication, strengthened by collaboration and sustained by our shared commitment to advancing Nigerian content,” he said.
He added that progress must now be matched with intentional direction.
“This retreat is not just another meeting; it is a defining moment. We are here to reflect, interrogate our current realities and chart a clearer, more strategic path forward for the NCCF.”
A baseline assessment conducted by Ernst & Young formed a key part of the discussions, highlighting structural and operational weaknesses that have limited the forum’s effectiveness. According to a partner at EY, Damilola Aloba, the findings pointed to gaps in strategic direction, coordination and execution.
“The forum lacks clear strategic direction from NCDMB, creating uncertainty among SWGs regarding expectations and deliverables,” he said, adding that “unrefined expectations and the absence of a supportive framework” have constrained performance.
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The review also identified delays in project approvals, limited clarity on how ideas move from proposal to execution, and weak capacity for monitoring and evaluating outcomes. Funding constraints were also noted, with the forum largely dependent on the Board as its primary source of financing.
Despite these limitations, stakeholder commitment has remained strong, particularly among members of the sectoral working groups who continue to support capacity development initiatives across the oil and gas value chain.
“We want to strengthen aligned leadership on NCCF’s long-term direction and ensure clear expectations across NCDMB, the NCCF Secretariat and SWGs,” Aloba said, noting that improved coordination and shared ownership would be critical to future performance.
The Acting Deputy Manager of the forum, Bright Amatoru, provided further context on its operations, explaining that the platform was designed to identify industry gaps and drive solutions through stakeholder engagement.
“Our function is to identify issues in the priority mapping and, beyond that, provide solutions through extensive stakeholder engagement,” he said.
He pointed to key initiatives developed under the forum, including national operational standards to harmonise capacity development efforts and the marine assets listing system aimed at building a comprehensive database within the industry. However, he acknowledged that the absence of a clearly defined strategic framework has limited the ability to prioritise interventions effectively.
“As of today, we have not had a very clear direction on how to select interventions. That clarity is critical as we align industry expectations with global best practices.”
For the Board, the reset is expected to deliver a more structured governance framework and a clearer execution pathway, aligned with its long-term strategic plan.
“The success of the framework, policy guidelines and roadmap we seek to develop will depend on the quality of our engagement, the sincerity of our contributions and our willingness to think beyond silos,” Ogbe stated.
The outcome of the retreat is expected to shape a comprehensive roadmap that will strengthen coordination, improve project delivery and enhance the forum’s role in driving Nigerian content development across the sector.
