Findings by the Senate Committee on Local Content have revealed that Nigerians now constitute 56 percent of the workforce in the country’s oil and gas sector.

This was disclosed during a two-day oversight visit to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, led by committee chairman, Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas and his deputy, Senator Ede Dafinone.

Senator Thomas commended the NCDMB for its commitment to deepening local participation in the oil and gas industry, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s drive to boost indigenous capacity in critical sectors of the economy.

“The NCDMB has demonstrated commendable capacity in fulfilling the objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. What we’ve seen here aligns with the President’s vision of promoting local content,” Thomas said.

Senator Dafinone, who echoed the chairman’s sentiments, praised the Board for its visible infrastructure and its broad range of human capital development programmes targeted at empowering Nigerians.

“This is our first oversight visit as the 10th Senate Committee on Local Content, and we are impressed,” Dafinone stated. “Beyond the nearly completed industrial park, the Board’s dedication to skills development and training is evident and impactful.”

He added that during briefings with the NCDMB Executive Secretary and his team, the committee received a self-assessment report showing that Nigerians now make up 56 percent of the workforce in the oil and gas sector — a significant milestone in local content advancement.

Dafinone also emphasized the importance of equitable distribution of oil and gas benefits across regions, particularly in Delta Central, which he said deserves more infrastructure, skills centres, and economic empowerment projects. He specifically requested an update on the NCDMB Industrial Park project located in Orogun.

The committee’s visit featured technical sessions to assess the Board’s compliance with the NOGICD Act, and tours of major NCDMB projects including the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS), the NCDMB Gas Hub, the Conference Hotel building, and the NCDMB Crèche.

The senators affirmed that the oversight visit not only reinforced their confidence in the Board’s operations but also reaffirmed the strategic role of local content in driving sustainable national development.