The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) on Monday presented insurance services guidelines to stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.
The guidelines were presented by Mr. Simbi Wabote, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, and Commissioner for Insurance, NAICOM, Mr. Sunday Thomas, at the 2022 Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference (NOG) in Abuja.
The guidelines will oblige the oil and gas industry to patronize the local insurance sector, thereby retaining spending in the economy.
It will also address loopholes that have been identified while implementing the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
Wabote said the provisions of sections 49 and 50 of the NOGICD Act require all operators engaged in any form of activity in the sector to ensure all insurable risks related to their business with an insurance company, through an insurance broker registered in Nigeria.
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He said, “the insurance guidelines were developed by the two regulatory bodies to ensure that government’s intention of promoting insurance services within the country is achieved so as to capture significant financial spend under oil and gas insurance services in the country.”
According to him, the Act provides that where an operator seeks to place an insurable risk offshore, written approval of NAICOM must first be sought and obtained.
He added that NAICOM before the issuance of the approval must ascertain that local capacity had been fully exhausted.
Wabote reiterated that the guidelines would strengthen the board’s local content drive and ensure that a greater portion of the spending in the insurance industry as it relates to oil and gas activities in Nigeria was retained in-country.
On his part, Thomas charged all stakeholders engaged in any form of business, operations, or contract in the Nigerian oil and gas industry to ensure compliance with the relevant laws and compliance with insurance guidelines.
