TheCable

Dangote Petroleum Refinery says it has entered into a partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to promote research and development (R&D) in the oil and gas sector.

Dangote refinery, in a statement, said it was a platinum sponsor of the second edition of the NCDMB Research and Development Fair and Conference 2021 to show its commitment to the project.

The statement added that the company showcased its 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) project and its research and development activities during the construction of the refinery.

Last week, NCDMB commissioned a Technology Incubation and Innovation Center and formally launched the $50 million Nigerian Content Research and Development.

Simbi Wabote, NCDMB executive secretary, advised companies in the Nigerian petroleum sector to start nurturing the growth of the country’s home-grown technology.

Wabote emphasised that research and development is pivotal to the growth and development of any nation and play a crucial role in opening new chapters of modern life.

He expressed regret that African nations accounted for less than one percent of the global R&D spend, and the continent’s aggregate GDP is only three percent of the global GDP.

He added that “there is a nexus between the spend on Research and Development and economic prosperity. It is time to start to nurture the growth of our home-grown technology rather just being a wholesome consumer of other people’s innovation.”

Wabote also announced that the board would soon embark on a roadshow to showcase its research and development initiatives to the various stakeholder groups, including universities in the country which represent a key constituency.

In 2018, NCDMB also partnered with Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Free Trade Zone Enterprises (DPRP) on the effective implementation of the Local Content Act in Nigeria.