The federal government has prohibited the issuance of waivers for importing threaded pipes used in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), gave this directive to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) at the commissioning of Monarch Alloys Limited’s concrete weight coating plant in Lagos on Thursday.
The new facility has an annual external coating capacity of two million square metres and an internal coating capacity of one million square metres. It supports both onshore and offshore pipeline requirements, where longer lines and deeper sea beds require advanced corrosion protection.
At the event, Lokpobiri emphasised that investments like Monarch Alloys must receive local patronage to encourage similar projects in the sector. He stressed the importance of the local content policy to Nigeria’s economy and assured that the government would continue supporting manufacturers to create jobs.
“We would not allow dumping of pipes or such things anymore; we have a duty to support our industries to grow,” Lokpobiri stated.
John Enoh, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, praised Monarch Alloys for reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imports and expanding the value chain. He noted that the investment aligns with his ministry’s agenda to promote value addition, job creation and economic partnerships.
“The investment also serves as a model for continuous collaboration between the private sector and government and creates opportunities,” Enoh said.
He added that Nigeria’s economy would only grow through industrialisation, promising the government would continue providing an enabling environment for investments.
