The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is set to officially unveil the Nigerian Content Trainers’ Registration Certificate (NCTRC) to introduce a new digital framework designed to improve quality assurance and standardization in human capacity development across Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The certification platform will be accessible through the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System (NOGIC-JQS) portal and represents another step in the Board’s implementation of policies aimed at strengthening local content development.

Created by the NCDMB, the NCTRC is a digital verification and certification system that evaluates, inspects, verifies and rates training service providers operating within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. The initiative implements the Regulation for Training in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry, issued in February 2021, which empowers the Board to establish minimum standards, facilities and technology requirements for workforce development in the industry.

Under the regulation, the Board is also responsible for developing a verification process that includes routine inspections, assessments and performance ratings for training programmes, service delivery, facilities and providers. In addition, it requires verification of all training information submitted by operators and training organisations through the NOGIC-JQS portal.

Developed by the Directorate of Capacity Building through its Infrastructural Development Division, the NCTRC introduces a transparent and uniform assessment framework that measures training providers based on the quality of their facilities, faculty, equipment, accreditations, operational capabilities and previous training experience.

The certification programme covers 11 specialised Areas of Training Specialisation (ATS), namely Health, Safety and Environment; Engineering and Quality Assurance; Petroleum and Geosciences; Drilling, Production Operations and Oil and Gas Processing; Facilities Design and Construction; Project Management; Supply Chain Management; Asset Management and Maintenance; Information and Communication Technology; Entrepreneurship, Soft Skills and Oil and Gas Business; and Maritime, Nautical Studies and Offshore Logistics.

To qualify for certification, training providers will be assessed using clearly defined benchmarks, including training facilities, qualified instructors, relevant accreditations, equipment, previous training experience and on-the-job training capability. Organisations that meet the requirements will be placed into five categories according to their demonstrated capacity and capability, with certificates remaining valid for two years.

According to the Board, the initiative is expected to boost confidence in training providers by ensuring that only organisations with the required infrastructure, personnel and technical competence receive certification to deliver training within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. It is also expected to improve the quality, credibility and standardisation of industry training programmes while supporting the growth of a highly skilled Nigerian workforce.

Applicants will be required to submit verifiable documentation relating to their facilities, instructors, accreditations, equipment, operational capacity and previous training experience. The Board will conduct documentary reviews alongside physical or virtual inspections where necessary before issuing certification.

NCDMB also reminded prospective applicants that applications, processing and approval of the Nigerian Content Trainers’ Registration Certificate are entirely free. In line with the Presidential Directive on Local Content Compliance, the Board stated that consultants, agents and third parties are not recognised for NCTRC applications, which must be submitted directly through registered companies’ NOGIC-JQS accounts.

The Board further warned that submitting forged or falsified documents constitutes a criminal offence and could lead to administrative sanctions, cancellation of certificates and prosecution under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, the Criminal Code Act and other applicable laws.

Training providers and industry stakeholders have been encouraged to study the NCTRC Application Guidance Notes and begin applications through the NOGIC-JQS portal from Monday, July 27, 2026.

According to the Board, the rollout of the NCTRC reinforces its commitment to developing a globally competitive Nigerian workforce while ensuring that training across the oil and gas industry complies with established standards of quality, competence and excellence in line with the objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.

NCDMB applauds Brentex over $50 million steel pipe facility

In a related development, the NCDMB has commended Brentex Petroleum Services Limited for the significant progress achieved on its Steel Pipe Induction Bending and Coating Facility located at the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT), Onne Port, Rivers State.

The Board described the project as a landmark industrial investment that demonstrates Nigeria’s growing position as a major centre for oil and gas logistics, engineering and manufacturing services.

The Brentex facility represents a $50 million investment aimed at providing integrated steel pipe induction bending, heat treatment, testing and coating services for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. More than $26 million has already been invested in the project, which is expected to become Africa’s first fully integrated 2-inch to 48-inch steel pipe induction bending and coating plant upon completion.

During a tour of the facility at Onne Port on Thursday, NCDMB Executive Secretary Felix Omatsola Ogbe congratulated Brentex Petroleum Services Limited on the progress achieved and reiterated the Board’s commitment to partnering with industry stakeholders to strengthen in-country capacity, promote industrialisation and expand Nigerian Content participation within the sector.

Ogbe also praised the company for its investment, resilience and commitment to indigenous capacity development, noting that the project reflects the increasing confidence of Nigerian companies in delivering world-class oil and gas engineering infrastructure.

Represented by the Director of the Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (MED), Mr. Esueme Dan Kikile, Esq, the Executive Secretary described the project as “a direct and tangible response to the quest for in-country capacity in specialised pipeline engineering services,” adding that it would advance “our collective goal of retaining value, creating jobs, and strengthening Nigeria’s position as a leading energy services hub in Africa.”

Reflecting on the long-standing collaboration between the Board and Brentex, he said, “We’ve been on this journey with Brentex for over a decade. Today, we’ve seen what you are doing on the ground. And that’s actually the whole idea about the equipment component manufacturing initiative of the NCDMB – in-country value addition – and you have been steadfast.”

He encouraged the company to sustain progress while maintaining high standards of quality, safety and operational excellence, stressing that the facility has the potential to become a flagship Nigerian Content asset serving specialised pipeline engineering projects across Africa.

“I’d like to express the Board’s deep appreciation for your investment in our country, and to assure you that you have our support,” he declared, adding, “Whatever we can also do to get the industry to patronise this investment, we’ll do that, because it’s very important that the industry take advantage of what we have in-country.”

Brentex Petroleum Services Limited Managing Director, Mr. Chidi Nzerem, welcomed the NCDMB delegation and described the visit as a strong endorsement of the project and its contribution to expanding Nigeria’s local capacity.

He acknowledged the Board’s support over the past decade, stating that its continued interventions had played a significant role in the project’s advancement. He added that the facility was conceived to support the objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010.

Nzerem expressed optimism that the Board’s backing would continue and disclosed that the facility is expected to become fully operational during the last quarter of 2027.

Responding to an inquiry from the General Manager, Downstream, Project Certification and Authorisation Division (PCAD), Ms. Tassalla Tersurgh, regarding human capital development, he explained that Brentex intends to collaborate with the NCDMB after facility certification to establish training programmes aligned with the Board’s mandate.

He added that the facility is expected to employ about 200 engineers and other technical personnel, creating opportunities for employment, technical training, skills transfer and capacity building, with the long-term objective of achieving 100 per cent Nigerian operation and management.

Project Manager Patrick Anaje said the facility, the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa will transform pipeline engineering by providing Nigeria’s first fully integrated in-country solution for steel pipe induction bending and coating.

He revealed that Brentex is already participating in the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Natural Gas Pipeline project, where the facility’s capabilities are expected to provide significant value.

According to Anaje, approximately 95 per cent of steel pipes are currently imported. Once operational, the facility will enable operators to obtain specialised induction bending, coating and pipe repair services locally, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and overseas repairs while shortening project delivery timelines, lowering procurement costs and delays, improving operational efficiency and retaining greater industry value within Nigeria.

The inspection tour was attended by senior NCDMB officials, Brentex Petroleum Services Limited executives, project consultants, contractors, industry stakeholders, representatives of the Onne and Ogu host communities, members of the Community Liaison Committee (CLC) and members of the media.

Source: Enviro News Nigeria