NCDMB Chief Faces 14-Day Resignation Ultimatum Amid N7.7 Billion Fraud Allegations

 In a bold move to demand accountability, a civil society group has given the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, a two-week ultimatum to resign over allegations of misappropriating N7.7 billion. Announced on May 18, 2025, the ultimatum stems from claims of unauthorized payments, contract-splitting, and lavish spending, raising serious questions about transparency in Nigeria’s oil sector.

The Network for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform (NOSTR), led by President Ambassador Charles Abakpa, issued the demand, accusing Ogbe of approving over $4.7 million in payments to S.B. Capital Partners & Advisory Limited, a private consultancy firm, without Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval, violating procurement laws. The payments, allegedly initiated by acting Director of Finance Fatima Bashir Mohammed, were purportedly to recover funds deducted by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation from the Nigerian Content Development Fund. NOSTR described the disbursements as a “shameful betrayal of public trust,” alleging deliberate contract-splitting to bypass the Ministerial Tenders Board’s thresholds, which limit approvals without FEC oversight.

Further fueling outrage, NOSTR highlighted a document revealing NCDMB’s approval of over N580 million for a five-day training in London, covering estacodes, logistics, and allowances for board members and 15 financial sector “stakeholders.” Abakpa criticized the expenditure as extravagant, noting that ordinary Nigerians struggle to afford basic meals. The group also questioned Ogbe’s appointment of key finance officials, including the acting Director of Finance and acting General Manager of Finance and Accounts, claiming they lacked proper government clearance, suggesting an “inner circle” designed to facilitate financial misconduct.

NOSTR called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, framing the scandal as a test of his administration’s anti-corruption stance. The group warned that failure to act within 14 days would trigger mass protests in Abuja, drawing parallels to the case of former Minister Betta Edu, who faced investigation for financial irregularities. The NCDMB, established under the 2010 Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, aims to enhance local participation in the oil sector, retaining 70% of industry spending by 2027. However, the allegations threaten to undermine its credibility.

Ogbe, appointed in December 2023, has previously been praised for advancing Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through youth training programs, with the Delta State APC defending his inclusive policies in February 2025. In response to earlier claims, NCDMB refuted spending N7.7 billion on consultancy, calling such reports “baseless” and affirming adherence to the Public Procurement Act 2007. As the ultimatum’s deadline looms, the oil sector awaits Tinubu’s response, with analysts noting that the outcome could shape public trust in Nigeria’s governance of its critical energy industry.

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