The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among African oil and gas producing nations to advance local content development and achieve energy sufficiency.
Speaking on Tuesday in Lagos at the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Sub-Saharan International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, SAIPEC 2026, Ogbe said Africa must adopt a collective and coordinated approach to sustain progress in the energy sector.
Delivering a keynote address titled Africa’s Local Content Collaboration Strategy, he stressed that efforts to deepen local participation in the oil and gas industry must not be isolated. “Our efforts cannot be siloed; they must be collective,” he said, noting that consolidation of existing gains is critical to long-term success.
Ogbe, who was represented by the Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, explained that collaboration between governments, private sector operators, financial institutions and host communities remains the foundation for building sustainable local content strategies across the continent.
Highlighting Nigeria’s progress, he disclosed that the country has achieved 61 per cent in-country value retention over the past 15 years. He described Nigeria’s local content strategy as deliberate and systematic, beginning with increased indigenous participation across the oil and gas value chain, followed by sustained capacity development.
He added that new policies and guidelines have been introduced to prevent the transfer of certification to intermediaries, while the Board now places strong emphasis on engaging competent and capable contractors, particularly in technical tenders.
At the continental level, Ogbe recalled the commitment made by member countries of the Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation at their November 2025 meeting in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, toward harmonising local content policies and strengthening cooperation in the exploitation and utilisation of hydrocarbon resources.
He urged African countries to leverage the Brazzaville Accord to promote regulatory harmonisation and sectoral cooperation. According to him, working together across borders and industries will enable Africa to develop a robust and sustainable local content framework capable of driving growth in a rapidly changing global energy landscape.
The NCDMB boss also welcomed the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank, headquartered in Abuja under APPO in partnership with Afreximbank. He described it as a strategic milestone that would improve access to funding for energy projects across the continent and called on governments, investors and industry leaders to support its successful operation.
SAIPEC 2026 is holding from February 10 to 12 at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, with over 1,200 delegates and more than 150 exhibitors from across Africa in attendance.
