-Felix Douglas
TotalEnergies is one of the multinational oil companies operating in Nigeria’s oil and gas space for over six decades and one its flagship project to support local content in the country was the Egina FPSO domiciled in-country.
Speaking in a panel session, at the just concluded Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC), Achase Amadi, Manager Nigerian Content Operations, Monitoring and Compliance of TotalEnergies, speaking from an International Oil Company (IOC) perspective, was of the view that even before promulgation of local content Act in Nigeria, the company has been doing quite a lot with indigenous Nigeria suppliers. It involved in fabrication modules in Warri, Niger Delta.
“Since the implementation the NOGIC Act in 2010, for TotalEnergies, it is not a matter of complying with laws; it’s in the company’s DNA and a strategy for the company. There’s great value in doing the right thing.”
How does this relate to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), TotalEnergies built on the basis of Nigerian local content which is about domiciliation and not nationalization. The company had developed facilities with huge cost especially the recent success story of Egina, first in Africa that was integrated in Lagos.
“From a business point, I don’t see the benefit in doing that in every other country in Africa. We have a facility that has been enabled, facilitated by TotalEnergies on the back of the Egina Project.”
According to Amadi, Egina is a world facility that must be patronized. The workforce in Nigeria is at a high level of maturity in the oil and gas space.
On the aspect of local content, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) went to Uganda to help local suppliers which is commendable to improve the industry in Africa.
TotalEnergies has also embarked on such measure to train people as an opportunity for growth and development in the industry. It is adding a great value which other African countries can tap into and make use of the opportunity.
Amadi made it known that TotalEnergies has a world class training facility of petroleum studies that it commenced many years in collaboration with France that has produced competent professionals for the industry.
He advised other stakeholders to key into the facility instead of injecting funds and duplicating such initiative in the country or Africa. There has to be collaboration among stakeholders.
“It now behooves on the powers that be to see that we are able to cross by providing all the necessary policies and laws.”
Governments of African countries are to create enabling environment to make AfCTA a success for the continent.
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