By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has taken its local content and industrial growth agenda beyond Nigeria, calling for stronger collaboration among African countries to build capacity, attract investment and unlock greater value from the continent’s oil and gas resources.
The Board made the call on Tuesday at the Africa Local Content Programme, a major feature of Africa Oil Week 2026 in Accra, Ghana.
Africa Oil Week is a leading international conference, networking and exhibition platform focused on Africa’s oil, gas and upstream energy sector. The event brings together industry leaders, governments, regulators, investors and service providers to discuss policies, investment opportunities and the future of the continent’s energy industry.
The Africa Local Content Programme was organised in partnership with the NCDMB, the African Union (AU) and the Petroleum Commission of Ghana.
With the theme, “Building African Capacity, Competitiveness and Collaboration Across the Upstream Value Chain,” the programme focused on practical ways to strengthen indigenous capacity and improve African participation in the oil and gas value chain.
The Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, delivered the opening remarks titled “From Resource Ownership to Industrial Power.”
Ogbe, who was represented by the Board’s Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, said African countries must move beyond the ownership of natural resources and concentrate on building sustainable industrial capacity.
He stressed the need for African countries to create greater value from their natural resources while positioning indigenous businesses to compete effectively in the global marketplace.
Halilu said local content policies should deliberately promote the development and utilisation of African cross-border capacities as a means of accelerating industrialisation across the continent.
“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 manufactured goods as important benefits of effective local content policies.
According to him, strong local content frameworks can also contribute significantly to national economies through increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and wider industrial development.
NCDMB PUSHES POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY ALIGNMENT
The Board’s Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Ajimijaye Omomehin, participated in discussions on “Harmonising and Standardising Technology and Policy: Driving Change through the Brazzaville Accord.”
The session examined the importance of aligning technology and policy frameworks to promote regional cooperation and support sustainable energy development across Africa.
The General Manager of NCDMB’s Corporate Communications Division, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, moderated another session titled “Market Entry Insights: Unlocking Africa’s Most Compelling Upstream Opportunities.”
Dr. Halilu also joined other industry stakeholders as a panellist to discuss strategies and key enablers for accelerating investment in Africa’s upstream oil and gas sector.
Participants at the session agreed that effective local content policies could serve as important tools for attracting investment, strengthening indigenous businesses and reducing operational costs across Africa’s oil and gas industry.
They also stressed the need for oil-producing African countries to provide regulatory stability and create investment-friendly environments capable of attracting long-term capital.
NCDMB SHARES NIGERIA’S EXPERIENCE
Other NCDMB officials also featured prominently in strategic sessions, contributing the Board’s experience and perspectives on issues shaping the future of Africa’s energy industry.
Mr. Erefagha Turner, Assistant Manager, Planning, Research and Statistics, participated in discussions on “Unlocking Capital for African Content Growth.”
The session focused on sustainable financing pathways for indigenous businesses seeking to build capacity and expand their operations.
Turner highlighted the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund) as a financing model that has supported service companies in developing their capabilities and expanding their businesses.
Similarly, Engr. Dokubo Obongo, Manager, Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building, participated in a session on “Investing in Talent: Building Africa’s Energy Workforce.”
He highlighted skills development and sustained investment in human capital as critical requirements for creating a globally competitive African energy workforce.
Omomehin also participated in discussions on “Building Regional Oil and Gas Industrial Hubs,” which examined opportunities for African countries to collaborate in developing integrated industrial and manufacturing capacities.
Across the various sessions, stakeholders identified access to capital, policy harmonisation, technology development, talent building and regional collaboration as critical drivers of Africa’s industrial transformation.
The discussions also underscored the need for African countries to move beyond the export of raw resources and develop stronger indigenous industries capable of providing goods, services, technology and skilled manpower for the energy sector.
The NCDMB’s participation at Africa Oil Week 2026 further demonstrated the Board’s commitment to taking the local content conversation beyond Nigeria and supporting stronger cooperation among African oil-producing countries.
The Board maintained that collective efforts in capacity development, investment, technology and industrialisation would be critical to building an integrated, competitive and sustainable African energy industry.
For NCDMB, the challenge is not simply how Africa can extract its resources, but how the continent can use those resources to create jobs, build businesses, develop technology and achieve lasting industrial growth.
