NCDMB Urges Africa To Turn Resource Wealth Into Industrial Power

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has urged African governments to develop well-tailored local content strategies capable of converting the continent’s abundant natural resources into industrial growth, jobs and greater economic value.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, gave the charge while speaking at Africa Oil Week 2026 in Accra, Ghana, during the Africa Local Content Programme themed, “From Resource Ownership to Industrial Power.”

Ogbe, who was represented by the NCDMB Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, said local content frameworks should go beyond ownership of natural resources by building sustainable industrial capacity and strengthening the competitiveness of African businesses.

“Local content frameworks must promote the development and utilisation of African cross-border capacities for the industrialisation of Africa,” he said.

He identified research and technology development, local employment, strategic partnerships, ownership and control of assets, supply-chain optimisation, sustainable operations and increased production and utilisation of locally made goods as key components of an effective local content framework.

According to him, these measures would also increase the contribution of the oil and gas industry to Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while creating opportunities for indigenous businesses to participate more meaningfully in the energy value chain.

The NCDMB boss said African oil-producing countries must therefore focus on transforming resource ownership into productive capacity that can support long-term industrialisation and position local companies to compete in the global market.

At the conference, NCDMB officials participated in sessions examining financing, technology, policy harmonisation, talent development and regional industrial collaboration.

The Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, NCDMB, Ajimijaye Omomehin, participated in discussions on “Harmonising and Standardising Technology and Policy: Driving Change through the Brazzaville Accord,” which focused on aligning policy and technology to accelerate regional energy development.

Omomehin also contributed to discussions on “Building Regional Oil & Gas Industrial Hubs.”

Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, General Manager, Corporate Communications Division, moderated a session on “Market Entry Insights: Unlocking Africa’s Most Compelling Upstream Opportunities,” while Dr. Hailu participated as a panellist in discussions on strategies for accelerating investment in Africa’s upstream oil and gas sector.

Participants agreed that effective local content policies could help attract investment and reduce operating costs, while regulatory stability would be critical to encouraging long-term capital inflows into African oil-producing countries.

Meanwhile, Mr. Erefagha Turner, Assistant Manager, Planning, Research and Statistics, highlighted the role of financing in developing indigenous businesses during a session on “Unlocking Capital for African Content Growth.”

Turner cited the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund) as a successful financing model that has helped Nigerian oil and gas service companies expand their technical and operational capacities.

Engr. Dokubo Obongo, Manager, Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building, stressed the importance of investment in skills and human capital during a session on “Investing in Talent: Building Africa’s Energy Workforce.”

The sessions underscored the need for African countries to improve access to capital, harmonise policies, develop technology and skills, and strengthen regional collaboration if the continent is to convert its natural resource wealth into sustainable industrial and economic opportunities.

NCDMB’s participation in Africa Oil Week, the international oil, gas and upstream energy conference, reflected the Board’s efforts to promote local content development, strengthen African capacity and foster greater collaboration across the continent’s energy value chain.

The Africa Local Content Programme was organised in partnership with NCDMB, the African Union and the Petroleum Commission Ghana, with discussions focused on building African capacity, competitiveness and collaboration across the upstream value chain.