Cable manufacturers in Nigeria will get all necessary support they need to boost their capacities and meet the expectations of the oil and gas industry, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote has said.
The Executive Secretary made the commitment during a recent facility visit to Kabelmetal Nigeria Plc and Miccom Wires and Cables on Thursday in Lagos. He explained that oil and gas operations requires lots of cables, adding that the importation of cables will be resisted since local cable manufacturers are capable of meeting the needs of the oil industry.
He described the importation of cables as a negation of the tenets of the Nigerian Content Act, assuring that “we will work with you to ensure that those activities are domiciled in the country and your organizations are patronized. We will ensure that players in the oil and gas industry stop importation of cables that can be produced in Nigeria.”
While commending the companies for their investments, he charged them to maintain high quality standards, adding that the Board would not support mediocrity in the name of Local Content. He said, “Considering the risky nature and high intensive of this industry, high quality and standards must be maintained.”
In his presentation, the Chief Executive Officer, Kabelmetal Nigeria Plc, Robert Kretschmer, said the company plans to commence the production of shipboard cables which is a new technology. He stated that no Nigerian company had ventured into the production of this type cables because of the technicalities and investments required.
In her speech, the Chief Operating Officer, Miccom Cables and Wires, Mrs. Bukola Adubi revealed the company’s plans to manufacture High Voltage Cables in-country and sought the support of the Board to maximize utilization of local resources especially in the production of raw materials required for the cable production.
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Commendable move. Long overdue. Genuine Nigerian wire quality has been consistently high and is a bright spot in our industrialisation story which we can amplify. Wires are the major components in coils which form the hearts of all kinds of motors, and dynamos used in all industries, electrical, mechanical, automobiles as pumps, heavy duty motors in trains, fans, kick-starters, lifts motors, generating sets, electric fans, all sorts of machines etc. We have thousands of Nigerians across the country that have some basic knowledge of these applications. We need to incubate, fan, amplify and catalyse this competence further.
There should be a linkage between NCDMB and Raw Materials Research board to see how we can source copper locally to serve as input for these wire industries