Content Board Unveils Guidelines To Curb Oil Contracting Delays

Determined to speed up the oil and gas industry contracting processes, weed out firms lacking technical capacity to perform and reduce Nigeria’s cost of production, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has issued the “NCEC Application Guidance Notes”, with effect from December 2025.

The document, which is available on the Board’s website (ncdmb.gov.ng) and on the NCEC application portal, forms part of concerted efforts to operationalise the Presidential Directives (PDs) on Local Content Requirements, which mandate NCDMB to take further steps to eliminate intermediaries in contracting processes that lack demonstrable capacity.

Emphasising that one of the key requirements for participating in the Nigerian oil and gas industry contracting process is the possession of NCECs issued by the NCDMB, the document states that “Unmerited possession and/or misapplication of the NCECs during tendering/bid evaluations contribute to contracting delays and admittance of unqualified intermediaries into the contracting process”.

According to NCDMB, the goal of the new document is to “tackle cases of single and multiple NCEC applications not matched to capacities on the ground, submission of fake/forged documents, under declaration of personnel, non-existent offices/equipment, and many other dubious applications.”

It will also enhance the timely review and approval of applications from genuine service companies, as the document provides all the requirements needed to complete a credible application on the first attempt.

The eight NCEC categories cover Manufacturing & Related Services (MS), Fabrication & Construction (FC), Construction & Moveable Equipment (EC), Services & Support (SS), Quality Control Inspection and Testing (QS), Non-Moveable Assets (DA), Procurement & Supplies (PS) and Consultancy Services (CS).

The document advised service companies to provide details of their specific service offering, with sufficient supporting evidence, when applying for any NCEC category via the application portal. Providing further explanation, NCDMB stressed that it does not solicit or require any payment for the application, processing, or approval of NCEC or any of its certifications. It added that “in line with the Presidential directive on Local Content compliance, NCDMB prohibits the use of agents/middlemen/third parties in raising/submission of NCEC application on behalf of service companies. Service Companies registered on the NOGIC-JQS are liable for any claims/documentations submitted in support of an application for NCEC or any other NCDMB certifications using their assigned login in details.”

The document also indicated that companies and their subsidiaries or local partners cannot apply for or obtain NCEC as separate companies using the same facilities, equipment, assets, or documentation and NCEC is not transferable for use by another company.”

Continuing, the guidance notes enjoined service companies to apply for NCECs only in their core service area, noting that spurious applications contribute to delays in processing genuine applications and warning that cases determined to constitute abuse of NCEC applications shall attract applicable sanctions.

The NCEC notes also indicated that companies applying for multiple NCECs must have the capacities in terms of assets, facilities, equipment and personnel to execute the scope of activities under the target NCEC categories, adding that NCDMB will carry out facility visits to ascertain the capacities and capabilities claimed by the company in all the multiple NCEC applications.

It stated further that NCECs are not granted in anticipation of the establishment of local capacities but are approved based on functional equipment/assets with dedicated resources/utilities in place to operate or perform the services; hence, applicants must be ready to demonstrate operability and availability of owned assets/equipment as may be required during a facility visit by the NCDMB team.

“Request for upgrade or addition of services, on approved, unexpired NCEC based on additional investment will be treated as new application and subjected to verification of all equipment/assets/documentation submitted in support of the modification,” the document added, stating further that applicants are expected to be upfront and intentional in the provision of the relevant and complete information required for timely review of their requests.

The document also listed services which do not require NCECs. They include GSM service providers, commercial airlines, educational institutes, legal advisory services, public relations and events management, government agencies, and CSR projects with community vendors.

Commenting on the guidance notes, the executive secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe enjoined oil and gas stakeholders to study the guidance notes while applying for NCECs. He warned that submission of forged, altered, or falsified documents constitutes a criminal offence and will attract legal consequences as well as the Board’s administrative punishments. He mentioned that NCDMB had set target timelines for the review and processing of NCEC applications, with the portal providing timestamps for all activities/interactions from the point of application submission and for all Board reviews.