- Local content in Africa’s energy future will boost industrial growth, job creation, and value retention across the continent.
- The NCDMB urges African nations to base their energy transformation strategies on local content.
Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), has urged African nations to base their energy transformation strategies on local content.
Speaking at the 4th African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) Conference in Brazzaville, Congo, he emphasised that local content is more than regulation; it is a strategic tool for building capacity, creating jobs, and retaining value within the continent.
Ogbe noted that Nigeria’s 15-year local content policy has strengthened its oil and gas sector and spurred growth in manufacturing, engineering, and services. He cited the NOGIC Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS) as a model for other African nations seeking to expand local participation.
To enhance collaboration, he proposed the establishment of an African Energy Services Network under APPO, aiming to connect industrial and engineering hubs across Africa, thereby promoting regional integration and energy security. He also commended the African Energy Bank, created by APPO and Afreximbank, as a key step in financing vital oil and gas projects.
Highlighting Nigeria’s achievements, Ogbe referenced projects such as the Egina FPSO Integration Yard and Oil and Gas Parks in Bayelsa and Cross River States, which have created jobs and driven innovation. He further revealed that over 20,000 Nigerians have been trained through NCDMB’s Human Capacity Development Programme.
In closing, Ogbe called for stronger cross-border partnerships in modular refineries, gas processing, and local manufacturing to boost energy independence and ensure Africa’s natural resources benefit its people.