The Federal Government through the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has stated that it approved 1,417 of the 1,603 expatriate quota applications it processed recently. A total of 186 expatriate quotas were rejected on account of non-compliance to the rules of the country’s oil and gas industry. An expatriate quota is a government-issued permit allowing companies to hire foreign workers for specific roles in Nigeria. The Nigerian government sets a limit on the number of expatriates companies can employ, typically 5% of the total workforce, to ensure locals are prioritized. Companies must demonstrate that the required skills aren’t available locally and provide training plans to transfer skills to Nigerians. The NCDMB regulates this process, approving or rejecting quota requests to boost local participation in industries like oil and gas. Although the approved quota would generate 13,833 employment commitments, the Board warned that companies must obtain NCDMB’s approval before approaching the Federal Ministry of Interior. “Anything outside that process is a contravention of the law,” the Supervisor, Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate, Mr. Emmanuel Paulker, NCDMB said.

Daily Trust