In a strategic move to accelerate oil and gas industry contracting processes and reduce the national cost of production, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has officially issued the "NCEC Application Guidance Notes," effective December 2025, reports ITREALMS.
By tightening the rules surrounding the Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate (NCEC), the NCDMB intends to tackle the persistent issues of unmerited certificate possession and dubious applications that have historically contributed to bid evaluation delays and admitted unqualified firms into the sector.
The new guidance notes serve as a deterrent against fraudulent practices, including the submission of forged documents, the under-declaration of personnel, and the claiming of non-existent equipment or offices.
According to the NCDMB, the primary goal is to ensure that only genuine service companies with verifiable "capacities on ground" are granted certification.
The document covers eight distinct NCEC categories, ranging from manufacturing and fabrication to consultancy and quality control testing.
Crucially, the Board emphasized that NCECs are approved only on the basis of functional, existing assets and are never granted in anticipation of future capacity.
Applicants must be prepared to demonstrate the physical availability and operability of their equipment during mandatory facility visits conducted by the Board's verification teams.
The Board explicitly ruled out the transfer of certificates between companies and mandated that subsidiaries or local partners cannot use shared facilities to obtain separate certifications.
Furthermore, in strict alignment with Presidential mandates, the use of third-party agents or middlemen for NCEC applications is now prohibited.
Service companies must utilize their assigned NOGIC-JQS login details and remain solely liable for all documentation submitted.
To further maintain industry integrity, the Board clarified that it does not solicit or require any form of payment for the processing or approval of these certifications.
Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has urged all stakeholders to study the guidance notes meticulously before initiating applications.
He warned that any attempt to abuse the system through the submission of falsified or altered documents would be treated as a criminal offense, carrying both legal consequences and severe administrative sanctions.
To improve efficiency, the NCDMB has established target timelines for application processing, supported by a portal that provides a timestamp for every interaction from the point of submission.
While most technical services require these certificates, the Board listed specific exemptions for sectors such as GSM service providers, commercial airlines, and legal advisory services.
This new framework marks a decisive step toward a more transparent, professional, and cost-effective Nigerian oil and gas service sector.
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