By Ahmed Ahmed
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has called on African nations to move beyond consuming technology and actively foster local innovation to drive industrial growth. The appeal was made by the Board’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Felix Ogbe, during his keynote address at the 2026 Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) in Abuja.
Speaking on the summit’s theme, ‘Local Content Beyond Compliance: Building African Industrial Powerhouses,’ Mr. Ogbe, represented by the Board’s Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, stressed that Africa’s industrial future hinges on competence, capacity utilisation, and collaboration. He said the continent must develop indigenous supply chains capable of delivering service excellence while meeting global standards.
“The NCDMB’s compliance trajectory has been to develop regulations, systems, and processes that enable indigenous technologies, strengthen domestic manufacturing, foster research and innovation, and build a resilient, globally competitive supply chain,” Mr. Ogbe explained. He cited the example of Nigeria’s cable manufacturers, which supplied about 2 million metres of cable to the Nigeria LNG Train 7 project and now possess the capacity to export to other African markets, including Cameroon, Angola, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Algeria.
Highlighting human capital development, Mr. Ogbe revealed that more than 10,000 Nigerian youths are being trained under the Oil and Gas Field Readiness Training Programme. Skills being developed include geosciences, subsea engineering, QA/QC, marine operations, automation and controls, underwater welding, and drilling engineering.
Mr. Ogbe also announced the operationalisation of the African Energy Bank, now housed within the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO). The bank is expected to expand access to affordable project financing for energy companies across the continent, reinforcing the broader industrialisation agenda.
He commended Executive Orders and the “Nigeria First” policy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that these measures aim to boost local capacity, attract investment in gas and deepwater projects, and accelerate contract execution. NCDMB has revised guidelines to shorten contracting timelines, remove non-value-adding intermediaries, and maximise in-country value retention.
“For Africa to become an industrial powerhouse, we must embrace talent development, research and development, modern manufacturing capabilities, and cross-border trade,” Mr. Ogbe said. “The continent must evolve from local participation to local mastery.”
The Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, commended President Tinubu’s economic reforms, highlighting their role in energy security and industrialisation. He emphasised the centrality of natural gas to Africa’s development, describing it as a pathway to diversification, job creation, and shared prosperity.
Mr. Ekpo cautioned that while local content policies have increased compliance, they have yet to produce global competitiveness or advanced technological capacity at scale. “Performance-driven local content demands a new compact,” he said. “Government must provide stable policies, industry operators must embed local capacity into project design, financial institutions must de-risk indigenous projects, and training institutions must align skills with modern industry needs.”
He warned that decisions made at the summit will determine whether Africa remains primarily a supplier of raw energy resources or becomes a global leader in gas-driven industrial development.
The NCDMB’s message underscores a broader continental agenda: leveraging local innovation, human capital, and strategic partnerships to transition African energy sectors from resource dependency to technological and industrial leadership.
