The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has praised ESSO Nigeria for starting work on its permanent shorebase facility at the LADOL Deep Offshore Logistics Base. They called the project a major sign that Nigeria has become a major center for global oil and gas logistics.
ESSO Nigeria is a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, a global operating corporation. The shorebase facility is worth $23 million and will have an office building, warehouses, and other storage spaces.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omashola Ogbe, spoke at the event on Thursday at the LADOL base in Lagos. He congratulated ESSO and LADOL on the project and said that the Board was still committed to working with industry players to improve the country’s upstream supply chain.
He commended LADOL’s history of stability, determination, and looking ahead, saying that these traits had been clear over many years of close work with the facility.
He put the groundbreaking in the bigger picture of the continuing global logistics issue caused by turmoil in the Middle East. He said that disruptions in the supply chain had raised costs from Singapore to Eko Hotel and across markets in the United States, affecting every economy.
Engr. Austin Uzoka, the Executive Secretary’s Senior Technical Adviser, said that LADOL’s rise as a genuine deep offshore base was a clear and real response to the weaknesses in the logistical part of the Nigerian oil and gas business.
He said, “Today, we’re happy that Nigeria has an alternative,” comparing the completion of the Dangote Refinery to the growth of LADOL and saying that Nigeria’s supply chain is more stronger than it was 10 years ago.
The head of the NCDMB told ESSO’s management to set up a front-end-loaded payment plan in its contracts with LADOL. He said that getting the money from the client on time and in full would allow the facility to finish the project without having to take out bank loans at high interest rates.
He said that cash flow problems had become a common problem for Nigerian suppliers in all industries. Many of them went to the Board for finance help since operators’ payment schedules didn’t match up with project delivery needs.
“I want to urge you to give LADOL more money.” Make sure that it is front-end-loaded so that they have enough money to do this on time without having to go to the banks and pay excessive interest rates to get it done.
He stressed that supply chains are the foundation of national growth and that the NCDMB, which is in charge of increasing capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, will keep working closely with both the LADOL and ESSO to build additional capacity in the country.
He said that ESSO was a careful and planned operator that acted quickly once it had made a decision. He was sure that the groundbreaking marked the start of a project that would be finished on time.
He also said that ESSO Nigeria should stay committed to using Nigerian skills and resources to finish the project.
Mr. Jagir Baxi, Chairman and Managing Director of ExxonMobil’s Nigerian affiliates, said earlier that the project is a major investment by ESSO Nigeria in its 70-year association with the country. The project also shows how committed the corporation is to improving Nigeria’s deepwater offshore operational capabilities. The structures would mostly be built by Nigerian companies, which will help create jobs and improve skills in engineering, construction, and commissioning, the company’s CEO said.
The ceremony was attended by officials from the Bank of Industry, ESSO Nigeria, LADOL, and the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and other government agencies that are relevant.
Obinna Ezeobi, PhD GM of Corporate Communications March 27, 2026
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