Sopuruchi Onwuka

Two senior officials of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Saturday bagged  Doctorate degrees at the 35th Combined Convocation of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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The Oracle reports that industry colleagues, friends, and family members joined the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Ogbe, in applause as the Director in charge of Corporate Services at the agency, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu; and the General Manager in charge of Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi; were awarded their earned degrees.

The two scholars from NCDMB were also celebrated by friends and colleagues at reception reception events held at different locations.

The milestone event was attended by the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the newly appointed Director of Finance and Personnel Management (DFPM), Mr. Uchenna Ossaowa Andrew, and immediate past chairman of Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) and member of NCDMB Governing Council, Mazi Sam AzokaOnyechi. 

Dr Abdulmalik Halilu’s doctorate is in Energy, Economics, Management and Policy, and crowns his years of intellectual interventions and leadership at the industry and NCDMB where he has held several roles, including Manager Strategy, General Manager Research and Statistics, Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Director Monitoring and Evaluation and currently as Director Corporate Services.

Dr. Obinna Ezeobi bagged his degree in Energy Communications and his convocation’s reception was uniquely marked by the public presentation of his book titled “Local Content: A Journey of Strategic Communication and Economic Transformation”.

The book was released in April 2025, and coincided with the 15th Anniversary of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act. The book was endorsed by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and his Gas counterpart Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo and the current and past Executive Secretaries of NCDMB.

His doctorate reception featured goodwill messages and high profile reviews. The chairman of the occasion, Chief Nathan Egba, former Commissioner for Information, Bayelsa State, in his remark described the book as a powerful chronicle of NCDMB’s influence on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and an essential contribution to policy discourse.

Mr. Teddy Bai, Supervisor in NCDMB’s Corporate Communications Division,  celebrated Dr. Ezeobi’s commitment and influence, describing his achievement as a milestone in strategic nation building.

Further insights came from Mr. Hector Igbikiowubo, Media Adviser to the Sole Administrator of Rivers State Government, and Engr. Bashir Ahmed, Supervisor at the NCDMB, who both emphasized the book’s detailed account of communication strategies and stakeholder engagement. Mr. Igbikiowubo encouraged regional governments to adopt the NCDMB model to boost local participation and regional development.

In his detailed review of the book, Mr. Mayor Ikoroha, Special Assistant to the Governor of Delta State, called the book a masterclass in strategic communication that helped gave detailed account of Nigeria’s local content retention to 56 percent.

The celebration concluded with a book signing and photo session, marking not only the academic success of Dr. Ezeobi but also his growing impact as a strategic communicator in the energy industry, thought leader, and advocate for sustainable national development.