The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has announced the launch of the first-ever Champions of Nigerian Content Awards, designed to honour individuals and companies that have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of Nigerian content in the oil and gas sector.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the NCDMB disclosed that the awards are the result of a collaboration with Sweetcrude Limited, publishers of SweetcrudeReports.
The prestigious awards ceremony is set to take place on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, at the NCDMB’s state-of-the-art conference hall in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, commencing at 6 pm sharp. The event will be held on the sidelines of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF), scheduled for 20–22 May 2025.
The awards will feature several categories, including: Nigerian Content Icon of the Year; Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award; Nigerian Content International Upstream Operator of the Year; Nigerian Content International Service Company of the Year; Nigerian Content Media Organisation of the Year, among others.
The NCDMB also revealed that the awards will be overseen by an advisory board comprising esteemed industry veterans. These include Dr Ernest Nwapa, the pioneer Executive Secretary of NCDMB; Dr Omar Farouk, Secretary-General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation; Mr Tony Attah, former Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Ltd; and Mr Wole Akinyosoye, former Zonal Operations Controller at the Department of Petroleum Resources.
Speaking on the launch of the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards, Mr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, remarked: “The time has come to acknowledge and celebrate the pillars of Nigerian content, who will serve as exemplary figures for others in the industry.”
He further noted that the introduction of the awards coincides with preparations by oil and gas industry stakeholders to mark the 15th anniversary of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act 2010.
Additionally, Mr Abdulmalik Halilu, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at the NCDMB, asserted that the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards would incentivise and recognise compliance with Nigerian content regulations among industry players.
He stated that the Board had deliberated on this initiative for several years and that its official launch reflects the NCDMB’s firm belief in recognising and celebrating companies and individuals committed to developing local content and adhering to regulatory frameworks. He added that these awards would serve as a source of inspiration for other stakeholders in the sector.
Meanwhile, Sweetcrude Limited has pledged that the awards ceremony will be a grand affair, infused with glamour and sophistication, to underscore the significance of Nigerian content in driving national economic growth.