By ebosele@hotmail.com. –
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has called for a shift from compliance-driven local content implementation to a more strategic approach aimed at building African industrial champions, as the 2026 Nigeria International Energy Summit opened under the theme “Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing Our Shared Future.”
Speaking at the summit, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by Abdulmalik Halilu, stressed that local content must be positioned as a catalyst for long-term industrial growth, economic resilience and continental competitiveness rather than a regulatory obligation.
According to the Board, the next phase of local content development in Africa should be anchored on three critical pillars: competence, capacity utilisation and collaboration. These, Ogbe noted, are essential to reposition Africa from a passive consumer of innovation to an active creator of technology, skills and industrial solutions.
The NCDMB highlighted Nigeria’s growing indigenous capabilities across key segments of the oil and gas value chain, including manufacturing, fabrication, marine assets and skills development. The Board disclosed that more than 10,000 Nigerian youths have been trained and equipped for high-demand roles within the energy industry, while several Nigerian service companies are increasingly expanding their operations into other African markets.
Aligning with the ongoing economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigeria First policy, the Board said it is strengthening procurement priorities to support genuine value-adding local players, while discouraging cost-inflating intermediaries that add little to industrial development.
On the continental front, Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to the Brazzaville Accord, which seeks to promote a unified Pan-African local content framework, enhance cross-border collaboration and accelerate shared industrial growth across African energy markets.
The Board also welcomed the African Energy Bank initiative, with its handover to the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO), describing it as a timely intervention that would provide competitive financing and strengthen African ownership of energy projects.
In conclusion, the NCDMB emphasised that “Local Content Beyond Compliance” represents both a development and sovereignty agenda for Africa, noting that the continent’s industrial future will be built through deliberate capability development, strategic partnerships and visionary leadership.
