Lagos — The Managing Director of Caverton Helicopters, Mr. Sola Falola, has commended the federal government over its local content law in the nation's oil and gas sector.

He said that the law has enhanced indigenous companies' activities through consistent partnering of international oil companies such as Shell in providing quality services.

Speaking at the performance review forum held in Lagos, Mr. Falola said: "The local content initiative has offered benefits in partnering with the international oil companies in developing the global aviation service. Nigerians need foreign participation in terms of local content development. Basically, what we need to do is to set standard and target rate and ensure the standard and target are met.

"The local content is a fantastic piece of legislation. It is very good. If you look at what is being done in Nigeria you will see that we really need the law in order to develop local capacity," he said.

He said his company's partnership with Shell has grown it to enviable height, adding that Shell has been at the vanguard of promoting the local content initiative to support the federal government's agenda.

He explained that the partnership is about developing capacity through the Nigerian Content, adding that the company had grown from a staff strength of 120 to over 500 through various local content contract initiatives, and that it contributes to the development of youths and communities where they operate in.

"Shell contract offers have given Caverton the privilege to develop indigenous pilots, training of aviation engineers within and across the country. This has offered us the opportunity to discover talents in the aviation sector and develop human capacity," he said.

Also speaking, Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, said that the partnership with Caverton is a way of supporting the federal government's local content initiative of developing local capacity.

"This partnership is not about Caverton making short term money, it is about Shell helping Caverton to grow a business, and to build a business, which is very significant.

"They have grown from staff strength of 120 to over 500, which is indeed an achievement towards developing human capacity and growing a business," he said.