Inside Simbi Wabote’s NOGAPS: Building 7 Industrial Parks to Transform Nigeria’s Oil Sector | Feature Article
- Lindsey Schlandt
- Oct 1
- 1 min read
APNNEWS.COM — During his tenure as Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (2016–2023), Simbi Wabote spearheaded the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGAPS), one of West Africa’s largest industrial infrastructure initiatives. Spread across seven states, the parks were designed to provide turnkey manufacturing facilities — shopfloors, warehouses, training centers, power plants, and ICT systems — to reduce import reliance and support local oil and gas manufacturing. Bayelsa’s flagship facility and Cross River’s park reached advanced completion, with operations targeted to begin in 2024.
Each park is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, creating over 14,000 opportunities once fully operational. By building ready-to-use industrial ecosystems rather than leaving entrepreneurs to construct their own factories, NOGAPS removes barriers to entry and enables Nigerian businesses to manufacture components previously imported. Wabote’s coordinated vision positioned NOGAPS as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s transition from crude oil exporter to oil-processing economy, embedding long-term industrial capacity across the country.
