The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has urged African nations to make local content policies and effective implementation the cornerstone of their energy development strategies.
He said doing so would ensure shared prosperity, sustainable industrial growth, and the full transformation of Africa’s abundant hydrocarbon resources into tangible economic benefits for citizens.
Ogbe made the call on Tuesday while speaking at the 4th African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) Conference and Exhibition on Local Content in Africa, held in Brazzaville, Congo.
According to a statement issued by Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, General Manager, Corporate Communications, NCDMB, the Executive Secretary maintained that African countries cannot derive optimal value from their hydrocarbon resources without deliberate and well-implemented local content policies.
“Local content is not merely a regulatory framework; it is a development strategy that must be implemented with pragmatism,” Ogbe said.
Referencing Africa’s over 125 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves and 620 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, Ogbe said Nigeria’s 15-year experience in local content development stands as a model for other nations.
He also called for the creation of an African Energy Services Network to strengthen collaboration among APPO member states and deepen value retention from oil and gas projects across the continent.
Ogbe, who represents Nigeria on the APPO Executive Board, explained that the proposed Network would complement initiatives such as the African Energy Bank and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), fostering intra-African trade, local content development, and cross-border linkages for energy security and economic growth.
He praised APPO and Afreximbank for establishing the African Energy Bank, noting that it will offer competitive financing options for African oil and gas projects.
Highlighting Nigeria’s achievements, Ogbe cited the Egina FPSO Integration Yard at LADOL Free Trade Zone in Lagos — “a first-of-its-kind facility in Africa” — as evidence of Nigeria’s growing industrial capacity. The facility, he said, can serve as a regional hub for FPSO and modular platform integration for the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.
He also noted NCDMB’s investments in oil and gas parks in Bayelsa and Cross River States, designed to host manufacturing firms and empower SMEs to participate in the energy value chain.
“Local content represents our resolve to build indigenous capacity, retain value within our borders, and create sustainable jobs for our young and dynamic population,” he said.
Ogbe reaffirmed NCDMB’s readiness to share its frameworks, digital tools, and expertise with other African countries, including policy design templates, monitoring structures, and systems such as the NOGIC Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS).
He emphasized that cross-border investments in modular refineries, gas processing plants, and local manufacturing could accelerate Africa’s industrial integration, while Nigerian service companies are eager to form joint ventures with counterparts across the continent.
The NCDMB boss also outlined the Board’s achievements in human capacity development, revealing that over 20,000 Nigerians have been trained in specialized oil and gas skills under its programmes — a model he said could be replicated across Africa.
Aside from his keynote address, senior NCDMB officials participated in various sessions showcasing Nigeria’s local content success stories, attracting commendation from several countries eager to adopt similar models.
The event, dedicated to advancing local content and energy development in Africa, drew policymakers and industry leaders from across the continent. Ogbe led Nigeria’s delegation and represented the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, at APPO’s statutory ministerial council meeting, where a new Secretary-General was elected.
