Friday May 23, 2025|
Former President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has received the Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jonathan received the award at the maiden edition of the Champions of Nigerian Content Award ceremony organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in partnership with Sweetcrude Ltd.
Held on Wednesday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, the award recognised and rewarded individuals and corporate bodies that set the highest standards in deepening local participation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and contributed significantly to national development.
In his welcome address at the event, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, noted that the Board had come a long way in the implementation of the NOGICD Act and recorded landmark achievements in which outstanding industry players, individuals and corporate entities deserved to be identified and honoured.
In his words, “The time has come to identify and celebrate pillars of Nigerian Content who shall serve as a shining example of what is expected of others in the industry.”
Speaking after receiving the lifetime achievement award, Jonathan recalled how he promptly signed the Nigerian Content Bill in 2010 when he was the acting President. He stated that an encounter with the Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, who had repeatedly mentioned Nigeria as a reference point for underperformance in the utilisation of oil resources, deeply motivated him. Jonathan also pointed out that China’s example of easily domesticating and domiciling oil and gas industry activities further inspired his decision.
He recalled that Senator Lee Maeba, who represented Rivers State South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was among the initiators of the Nigerian Content Bill and deserves special recognition by the NCDMB and Nigerians generally.
The former President appreciated the NCDMB for the success of the Nigerian Content and lauded past and present leadership of the agency that translated the dream behind the Act into reality.
Another top winner in the distinguished individuals category, Engr. Tony Attah, the Managing Director of Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, was named “Nigerian Content Icon of the Year. The award was for his time as the Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited, during which time he secured the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the NLNG Train 7 project and led his organisation to partner with NCDMB to sign the first Service Level Agreement (SLA), which Nigeria LNG signed in June 2017.
Other top winners include Professor Emenike Ejiogu of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), as “Nigerian Content Innovator of the Year,” and Ms Iroghama Ogbeifun, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Starzs Investments Company Limited, received the Women in Leadership Award.
In the corporate category, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), now known as Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, clinched the “Nigerian Content International Upstream Operator of the Year Award,” while Aradel won the “Nigerian Content Independent Upstream Operator of the Year Award.”
