The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has challenged oil-producing countries in Africa to prioritise the manufacturing ecosystem as deliberate steps to create skills that will support the transformation of the oil and gas industry.
By doing so, they would help local industries develop competencies that will, in turn expand their local content strategies.
The Board’s executive secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, advised at the opening day of the 2025 Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, which began on Tuesday at Windhoek, Namibia.
Ogbe, represented by the Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, dwelt on strategies that would support the growth of African local content and urged oil-producing countries to specialise in different manufacturing and service areas of the oil and gas industry and develop their competencies to the right specifications.
He said this would enable the countries to trade among themselves and contribute to the manufacturing of complex oil and gas equipment.
He cited an example with the Boeing aircraft, which has critical components produced by different original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and assembled at a designated factory. Such a model, he noted, will ensure that each African country develops a competitive advantage and can contribute effectively to the African oil and gas industry.
The executive secretary said that offering local content nuggets makes local content implementation not a sprint but a marathon, and must be executed as a business rather than as corporate social responsibility.
He noted that local content must also be cost-effective, and local peculiarities must be given key considerations.
Other recommendations include that local content regulations must apply to all players in the industry, not only foreign companies or expatriates, and that implementation takes time, consistency, and coordination.
He equally suggested that capacity-building initiatives should include grassroots and underserved communities, adding that local content practice would not grow unless new projects were developed.
He assured the audience that Nigeria is ready to partner with Namibia and other African nations to build an energy sector that empowers the African people and drives shared prosperity.
Ogbe said the local content value proposition for Africa includes research and technology development, local employment, strategic partnerships, ownership and control of assets, value chain optimisation, sustainable operations, increased production and utilisation of locally made goods, and contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).
He identified the government’s role in supplier development as regulatory, developmental and promotional.
Using Nigeria as a case study, Halilu listed key achievements of NCDMB, including the establishment of world-class fabrication and construction yards, human capital development, manufacturing initiative, service sector growth, financial support, and establishment of an integration capability for floating production, storage, and offloading facilities (FPSO).
On the new wave of local content development in Nigeria, he pointed to the promotion of equipment assembly and components manufacturing, the development of small and medium enterprises, the enforcement of research and development and technology transfer, and the prioritisation of gas-based industrialisation.
The opening day also featured a presentation by Esueme Dan Kikile, Esq, NCDMB’s general manager of human capacity development.
He further shared the Board’s success stories in human capital development.
Nigeria’s local content successes in the oil and gas industry were a constant reference point in discussions on the conference’s opening day.
The conference continues until Friday and is expected to feature another presentation by the NCDMB boss on Wednesday. The chairman of PETAN, Wole Ogunsanya, will participate in one of the panel discussions.
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