…says there are qualified Nigerians for the job
A group, the Niger Delta Youth Council of Nigeria, (NDYCN) has protested the appointment of an expatriate as the Procurement Manager of Chevron Nigeria Limited, saying the action breached the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (2010).
The group also noted that such a position ought to be filled by a Nigerian in line with relevant steps to engage Nigerians at such level.
The group stated this in an open letter jointly signed by its National President, Ambassador Blessing Adogbeji and the Vice President, Barr. Donbraye Ebikeniye and directed to the Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, Nigeria.
The letter was also copied the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Group Managing Director, NNPC Limited, the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Senate Committee on local Content, the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), the House Committee on Nigerian Content, among others.
The letter was titled: “Protest Against the Appointment of an Expatriate as Procurement Manager in Chevron Nigeria.”
It partly read, “We write on behalf Niger Delta Youth Council of Nigeria , with deep concern and disappointment, to formally protest the recent decision by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to appoint an expatriate to the role of Procurement Manager. This decision is not only unacceptable but also represents a blatant disregard of the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (2010) and ongoing concerns regarding the marginalisation of qualified Nigerian professionals, particularly from the Niger Delta region.
“It is on record that the provisions of the Local Content Act was enacted to promote the development and utilization of indigenous human and material resources in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The appointment of an expatriate to a critical commercial function such as procurement – which directly interfaces with Nigerian vendors, contractors, and indigenous suppliers – contravenes the spirit and letters of this Act.
“We reject in its entirety the rationale and any overtures advanced by Chevron to justify this appointment. The notion that no suitably qualified Nigerian exists for this role is both false and insulting. The Niger Delta region alone has produced a wealth of experienced professionals who are more than capable of holding such positions, many of whom possesses long-standing track records within your organisation.
“Furthermore, we must highlight the systemic marginalisation of Niger Deltans in senior and strategic roles within Chevron Nigeria. For decades, our sons and daughters have served with loyalty and competence, yet they continue to be sidelined when it comes to leadership appointments. Key departments such as Operations, Finance, and Compliance remain dominated by non-indigenes and expatriates, often with limited knowledge of the local socio-economic and environmental realities.
“We wish to state categorically: The appointment of an expatriate as Procurement Manager is unacceptable and must be rescinded immediately. Chevron must prioritise qualified Nigerian professionals, particularly those from host communities in the Niger Delta, for such roles. We will not accept tokenism or symbolic representation; what we demand is equity, inclusion, and respect for the law.
“Should Chevron Nigeria fail to address this grievance urgently, we will have no other option than to challenge the legality or otherwise of the appointment of the said expatriate employee; commence an action under the Freedom of Information Act to compel Chevron Nigeria Ltd to produce before the court and publish the comprehensive list of its Nigeria employees, particularly of Niger Delta extraction and expatriate employees; escalate this matter to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the National Assembly, and other relevant stakeholders.
“Chevron’s continued operations in the Niger Delta must reflect mutual respect, partnership, and a sincere commitment to Nigerian laws and local content principles. This situation presents an opportunity for Chevron to demonstrate genuine goodwill and corrective action.
“We expect a formal response and the reversal of this decision within 14 days of receipt of this letter failing which the above action points shall come to force without further recourse to you.”
