The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has begun a strategic reset of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF), suggesting a renewed push to deliver higher-impact Nigerian content outcomes across the oil and gas sector.
The move was unveiled at a two-day retreat and the first half of the NCCF’s 2026 Steering Committee meeting, where industry stakeholders were urged to agree on a clear and actionable roadmap to reposition the forum as a more effective driver of in-country capacity development.
Declaring the retreat open, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the engagement as a “defining moment” in the evolution of the forum, stressing that steady growth since its inception must now be matched with more deliberate and strategic planning.
He said the NCCF, which was conceived as a collaborative platform for advancing Nigerian content, had reached a stage where long-term impact should take precedence over incremental progress.
Represented at the event by the Acting Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ogbe told participants the retreat was an opportunity to interrogate current realities and chart a clearer path for the forum’s future.
He also pointed to a baseline study conducted by Ernst & Young as a key benchmarking tool to measure the NCCF against global best practices, identify gaps and improve relevance, while cautioning that any framework would only succeed through strong stakeholder commitment.
“The success of the roadmap we seek will depend on the quality of engagement and the willingness of participants to think beyond silos,” he said.
Providing context for the discussions, EY Partner and session facilitator, Damilola Aloba, outlined three objectives guiding the retreat: aligning leadership around the NCCF’s long-term direction, improving coordination between the forum, its Sectoral Working Groups (SWGs) and NCDMB, and fostering shared ownership of its mission.
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He disclosed that stakeholder consultations and benchmarking revealed structural and operational weaknesses, including unclear strategic direction, delays in project approvals and limited clarity around decision-making after ideas are proposed.
Other challenges identified included budget constraints arising from reliance on NCDMB as the sole funding source, weak project tracking mechanisms and the absence of defined criteria for assessing project viability and impact.
Despite this, Aloba believed strong commitment among SWG members, particularly in contributing time and resources to capacity development initiatives across the industry value chain.
The Acting Deputy Manager of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, Engr Bright Amatoru, outlined the forum’s mandate and activities, explaining that it was established in 2014 under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act as a statutory collaborative platform.
He said the NCCF currently engages stakeholders through 12 SWGs to identify industry gaps, develop solutions and implement targeted interventions.
Amatoru mentioned achievements such as the development of National Operational Standards to harmonise capacity development initiatives, the Marine Assets Listing System, fabrication measuring studies and diversity-focused initiatives, including a Women in Oil and Gas conference and mentorship workshop.
However, he acknowledged that the absence of a clearly defined strategic framework had limited the forum’s ability to prioritise interventions effectively.
The retreat forms part of broader efforts by the NCDMB to develop a comprehensive NCCF strategic roadmap aligned with its 10-year strategic plan and wider industry expectations.
Participants are expected to generate actionable proposals, refine governance structures and define a clearer execution pathway for the forum.