African nations turn to Nigeria’s local content blueprint

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has revealed that a growing number of African nations are examining Nigeria’s local content framework as they seek to strengthen indigenous participation in their petroleum industries.

The disclosure came during a knowledge-sharing visit by officials of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), who travelled to the NCDMB headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to gain first-hand insight into Nigeria’s approach to local content development.

Leading the Ghanaian delegation was GNPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Eric Pwadura. The visit formed part of efforts by Ghana to better understand and possibly adapt elements of Nigeria’s local content strategy.

According to a statement issued by the General Manager of NCDMB’s Corporate Communications Division, Dr Obinna Ezeobi, the engagement reflects the longstanding cooperation between Nigeria and Ghana in the energy sector. He added that the board remains committed to supporting knowledge exchange and capacity-building initiatives among African countries.

Addressing the visiting delegation, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, stressed the importance of African nations leveraging their natural resources to drive domestic industrial growth.

He said, “Africa has evolved over the last three to four decades, growing its hydrocarbon resources to over 120 billion barrels of crude oil reserves and 800 trillion standard cubic feet of gas, which constitute over 10 per cent of hydrocarbon resources globally.”

Ogbe noted that countries blessed with hydrocarbon resources must make deliberate efforts to develop local expertise and reduce reliance on foreign technology and manpower.

Represented by NCDMB’s Director of Corporate Services, Dr Abdulmalik Halilu, the Executive Secretary described Africa’s youthful population as a major asset that could power industrial expansion if equipped with the right skills and opportunities.

He also traced the evolution of Nigeria’s local content drive, explaining that what began as a policy initiative under the former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation eventually developed into an independent institution with broader responsibilities.

“We have evolved from a policy to an institution,” he enthused, adding, “NCDMB is the sole agency responsible for local content” in Nigeria.

Ogbe explained that the board’s Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap is anchored on key priorities including technical capacity development, compliance and enforcement, improvement of the business environment, organisational effectiveness, and expansion into sectoral and regional markets. He added that funding support and regulatory frameworks serve as critical enablers of the strategy.

Highlighting efforts to support indigenous companies, he pointed to the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, administered through the Bank of Industry and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank. The scheme provides single-digit interest loans to local service providers operating within the oil and gas sector.

“What we have done is to create that access to make the local service companies competitive,” he explained.

According to him, the intervention has enabled Nigerian firms to acquire strategic assets, including marine vessels, thereby enhancing their participation in industry operations.

He further stated that NCDMB ensures utilisation of local capacity through its First Consideration policy, which gives preference to Nigerian companies that have demonstrated competence and capability.

Emphasising that local participation should not come at the expense of quality, Ogbe said, “Local content does not compromise standards…it does not mean you have African spec or European spec,” adding, “It’s one global spec.”

Speaking on behalf of the Ghanaian delegation, Pwadura commended NCDMB for opening its doors to share its experiences and achievements.

He acknowledged that although Ghana has legislation supporting local content development, its institutional framework is still evolving.

“Even though we have the legislation guiding local content, we have not had the benefit of having a robust local content environment like you have. If we take our organisation (Ghana National Petroleum Corporation), for example, what we have is a local content unit. That’s currently the structure that we have. We want to have a deeper understanding of your local content development programme,” he said.

Ezeobi also disclosed that NCDMB has cultivated partnerships with several organisations across the continent. These include formal cooperation agreements with Ghana’s Petroleum Commission, Senegal’s ST-CNSCL, and relevant institutions in Mozambique, Angola and Namibia.

The board believes such collaborations will accelerate local capacity development and help African nations maximise the benefits of their natural resources while fostering greater regional cooperation.