The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has issued a firm directive to oil and gas companies, warning against the employment of uncertified engineers in the sector.

Speaking at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, declared that only engineers registered with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) are legally allowed to work in the industry.

“Let me remind us that only engineers and engineering firms that are registered with COREN in Nigeria are eligible to practise in Nigeria,” Ogbe said. “It has come to the notice of COREN that lots of engineers working in the Nigerian oil and gas industry are not registered with the council.”

He appealed to both international oil companies (IOCs) and indigenous firms to partner with COREN and ensure their engineers are properly certified. “I appeal to the IOCs and indigenous oil companies to make efforts by reaching out to COREN and partner with COREN to make sure that registrations are done,” he added.

Also speaking at the fair themed “Driving Investment and Production Growth: Shaping a Sustainable Oil and Gas Industry through Indigenous Capacity Development,” the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, highlighted plans to boost investor confidence and deepen local capacity in the upstream sector.

Komolafe, represented by John Tonlagha, Executive Commissioner for Health, Safety, Environment and Community, said, “Our focus is on sustainable value creation and shared prosperity.

Developing local talent and businesses is not just a strategy—it’s a necessity and a moral obligation.”He also stressed the need for regulatory transparency, upstream investment, and environmental responsibility to transform the sector.