All companies seeking to engage expatriates in the Nigerian oil and gas industry must henceforth ensure they obtain the relevant approvals from Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB), before applying for Expatriate quota, Temporary Work Permit, or other entry permits from the Ministry of Interior, the Nigeria Immigration Service or other agencies of government.
The agencies said there has been a sharp rise in the cases of Manpower Supply Companies’ abuse in the oil and gas sector in recent time.
A joint statement by NCDMB, DPR, and Ministry of Interior, said services designated for Nigerian professionals only are engaged by operators and contractors to supply expatriates in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
The permits clearly indicate that they are not to be used to deploy expatriates under any circumstance or guise.
The statement read in part: “It is also disturbing that operators and major service providers promote this illegal practice by entering into contract agreements with these manpower supply companies to source expatriates for positions, which in several cases had been denied quota and earmarked to be occupied by Nigerians. This practice circumvents laid down statutory approval processes and compliance requirements for obtaining Expatriate Quota Positions.”
It urged stakeholders in the Nigerian oil and gas industry to note that companies – Operators, Service Providers etc. – engaging manpower suppliers with permits for supply of “Nigerian Professionals Only” are to ensure that no expatriates are deployed under such manpower supply contracts under any guise (whether on EQ, TWP or other processes).
Also, companies that are deploying expatriates in the Nigerian oil and gas industry are expected to ensure full compliance with the guidelines and requirements of the Ministry of Interior and NCDMB including registration on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS), as well as biometrics enrolment of all expatriate personnel in their employment.
NCDMB said it will intensify its monitoring and evaluation activities to identify companies violating the statutory provisions of the DPR manpower supply permits and perpetuating illegal expatriate deployments with a view to invoking appropriate sanctions and penalties, as specified in the Immigration Act 2015, and Immigration Regulation 2017, as well as the NOGID Act.
The statement added that companies in the oil and gas sector intending to apply for expatriate quota positions should submit and process their applications to the Board by registering and applying on the NOGICJQS portal.
