The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board(NCDMB), and the international operating oil and gas companies alongside their service counterparts have pledged to support Orbit Galvanised Steel Industries Limited at Ikorodu, Lagos, a subsidiary of the African Industries Group (AIG).
They came to this agreement on Wednesday when NCDMB executive secretary, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote led the team on a visit to the firm which is in line with the boards mandate and continued efforts to support the development of in-country capacities that would serve the Nigerian oil and gas industry and allied sector.
One of the assets of the company is a state-of-the-art fabrication and hot dip galvanising plant. The firm also has capacities to manufacture and supply substation structures, telecom/microwave towers, solar module mounting structures, and railway structures and is currently active in solar power, electric power, mining, and agriculture.
Speaking after inspecting the facility, the executive secretary observed that the galvanising plant was conceived to serve other sectors of the economy, but the promoters realised that they could equally take advantage of the opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, which prompted the invitation of NCDMB and other stakeholders to their facility.
He commended the company for their investment, noting that having a diverse clientele would enable its sustainability and profitability.
He said the company had huge potential and needed to be supported to enable it to meet all the technical standards required by the oil and gas industry. He emphasised that the oil and gas industry operates with very strict standards and zero tolerance for compromise because any failure would have colossal consequences on human lives and economic resources
Wabote urged Orbit Galvanized Steel to work assiduously on getting the relevant certifications and meeting the standards of the oil and gas industry, as well as registering with all the relevant regulatory agencies in the country.
He said the galvanising facility might help address the challenge faced by the NLNG Train 7 project in finding the required operational galvanising capacity in-country.
He charged Nigeria LNG Ltd and the consortium of service companies contracted on the Train 7 project – Saipem, Chiyoda, Daewoo – to work closely with Orbit Galvanized Steel to upgrade the galvanising facility to the required standards so it can provide services for their project and other potential projects in the future.
He reiterated that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act mandates the Board to ensure that critical capacities developed in Nigeria are patronised by the oil and gas industry, to create employment opportunities and retain spend in the local economy.
He assured the company that NCDMB will support its progress and ensure that its proposed fabrication yard is patronised when completed.
In his comments, the group executive director of Orbit Galvanized Steel, Mr. Uche Iwuamadi asserted that the company is the only integrated tower manufacturing company in Nigeria. He hinted that “the entire end-to-end process, right from iron ore mining to the casting of billets, to fabrication and galvanising is done in-house within Nigeria, and that creates employment opportunities for many Nigerians.”
Responding to enquiries from representatives of the oil and gas companies, Iwuamadi stated that, the galvanising facility has a production capacity of 36,000 tonnes per annum and a maximum of 6 tonnes per batch.
He thanked NCDMB and the oil industry personnel for visiting their facility and assured them that the company’s growth will add immense value to the Nigerian economy.
