Considering the growing interest in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, Ladi Jadesimi, the chairman of Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics base (LADOL), has emphasised the need to improve and build capacity in order to partake in the deep offshore investment.
He said, “10 years ago when promoters of LADOL conceived the idea, they did not just target Nigerian waters, because as far back as then it was clear that the whole West-Africa sub-region was highly prospective in oil and gas.
According to him, there were big discoveries in Ghana and increasingly discoveries in Sierra Leone and Liberia and of course there were other offshore discoveries. “All of these will require facilities that we are preparing to execute for the whole region. As you are aware, our specialty and focus is only on offshore.”
He said, “Nigeria needs to build capacity in all sectors but with respect to deep water technology, it is one of the most complex.
The LADOL further stated that the government needs to take a stand. “Making a stand means initially combining with world-class operators by way of joint ventures but also to commence immediately on training of Nigerians and increase in capacity.”
He outlined plans by his company to engage Nigerians in deep offshore skills acquisition programme. “One of the things we are starting very soon is the construction of a technology institute with Samsung that will train Nigerians in various aspects of deep offshore. That is the
only way we can do it. You have to build capacity by training and giving opportunities like work place experience.
“We thank President Goodluck Jonathan for the Local Content Act because this Act mandates the increase in percentage of contracts not just on sales of oil and gas but in investment projects. As you know, we have brilliant Nigerians many of whom are active all over the world in this same field,” he stated.
The Nigerian Content Act legally obliges contractors in the oil and gas sector to integrate onshore Floating, Production, Storage and Operation (FPSO) integration, mandating that 50 percent of all topsides fabricated in Nigeria and 100 percent pressure vessels, fenders and flare towers for which Nigeria currently has insufficient capacity.
