By Brenda Izu

As the Federal Government pushes to attract fresh investments into the oil and gas sector, accelerate field development and cut production costs, Marconi.NG EPC Limited (Marconi) has emphasized its commitment to delivering competitive, fast-paced project execution across the industry.

The assurance came during a facility tour by officials of the Corporate Communications Division of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), who led select journalists to several oil and gas service companies operating in Port Harcourt.

Marconi, now a wholly Nigerian-owned company acquired the assets of Saipem Contracting Nigeria’s Rumuolumeni Yard in May 2025, marking a significant shift from foreign ownership to indigenous technical leadership in the fabrication space.

Speaking during the visit, the Chief Executive Officer of Marconi, Gian Fabio Del Cioppo, explained that the company’s yard spans more than 1,000,000 square meters, features a 330-meter jetty, and boasts “the capacity to fabricate over 25,000 tons of heavy structures per year.”

He added that the facility remains one of Nigeria’s most advanced fabrication yards, equipped and structured to deliver complex EPC projects both onshore and offshore.

Del Cioppo further emphasized that the company “possesses the equipment, technical capacity, legacy and human capabilities to deliver the highest quality of work in the industry at competitive costs and schedule,” aligning with the Presidential Directives on Local Content and the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010.

While appealing to the Government and industry operators, he urged consistency in implementing the NOGICD Act, insisting that Marconi remains strategically positioned to support national economic objectives, drive job creation and deepen local content. 

He cautioned against efforts to reverse gains made in the past 15 years, stressing the long-term economic value of retaining capacity within Nigeria.

Leading journalists around the yard, Nigerian Content Manager of Marconi, Dr. David Editang and the  Quality health safety and environment manager highlighted the company’s decision to retain long-standing local experts who had run operations for decades before the acquisition. 

He noted that the facility “has the capacity to fabricate, store and load out completed project structures” through its three jetties.

Marconi recently marked the First Steel Cutting Ceremony for subsea structures tied to a major offshore development currently underway in Nigeria. 

Historically, the yard has also contributed to iconic national projects including Egina, Usan, Akpo and NLNG Train 7.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications Division of NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, who led the delegation, commended the facility’s evolution and operational readiness.

 He stated that Marconi is now well-positioned “to operate across the oil and gas value chain, from land, swamp and shallow waters to deep sea offshore.”

Explaining the rationale behind the tour, Dr. Ezeobi said, “As we showcase the companies, we are achieving our mandate as set out in Sections 67 and 70 (n) of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.”

He added that the law compels the Board to promote Nigerian Content through communication and stakeholder engagement, including capacity building for critical industry partners.

Media practitioners, he stressed, play a vital role in shaping public understanding of the sector. “We want the media to better understand how the oil and gas industry works; we want to deepen our relationship, and to build the capacity of media stakeholders in reportage,” he said.

Dr. Ezeobi also noted that NCDMB has established sustainable partnerships with journalists across Nigeria, with annual engagements held in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja.