The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has expressed its full support for MT Valves West Africa’s initiative to establish a 15,000-ton-per-year industrial valve manufacturing facility at the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos.
A delegation from NCDMB, led by Engr. Harmony Kunu, Special Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, alongside Obinna Ezeobi (Manager, Media and Publicity) and Chika Enwerem (Manager, Commercial Ventures), recently visited the site to assess the company’s readiness and investment strategy.
MT Valves West Africa, a subsidiary of the globally renowned MT Group, already produces 60,000 tons of valves annually at its Abu Dhabi facility and operates an advanced research and development (R&D) and manufacturing hub at its headquarters in Shanghai, China.
Although it is a relatively new player in the Nigerian market, MT Valves West Africa is already a certified vendor to Shell Nigeria. During the tour, Managing Director Thomas Zhang and Sales Director Elliot Aigbokhade briefed the NCDMB team on their commitment to local content development, in line with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
They also shared plans for a state-of-the-art workshop in Lekki aimed at enhancing local value addition, capacity building, and developing a resilient supply chain.
The company aims to replicate the scale and standards of its Abu Dhabi operation with this new facility, addressing a critical gap in the industry, as there is currently no local industrial valve manufacturing in Nigeria.
The strategic vision for the plant includes phased growth, sourcing raw materials locally, providing training opportunities for Nigerians both domestically and internationally, and collaborating with indigenous partners.
The facility will offer maintenance, repair, assembly, and full-scale manufacturing services. Some equipment has already been installed, with other essential components en route to Nigeria. MT Valves has also sought regulatory support from NCDMB and assistance in facilitating industry connections to enhance the project’s visibility and encourage patronage.
In response, NCDMB reaffirmed its commitment to supporting credible investments that align with the NOGICD Act, stressing the importance of job creation, local capacity development, and economic industrialisation—key objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Board encouraged MT Valves to develop a detailed investment roadmap, outlining clear milestones, Nigerian content targets, and contributions to the national economy. The company has been invited to present its plans at the upcoming Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF), scheduled for May 20–22.
To further strengthen stakeholder engagement, MT Valves has extended invitations to officials from NCDMB, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), and Nigeria LNG Limited to visit its Abu Dhabi and Shanghai facilities, offering them a firsthand look at its global operations and investment scale.
