The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, FNSE, has called for deeper collaboration among African nations to strengthen local content development and secure the continent’s energy future.
Ogbe made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 10th Anniversary edition of the Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC 2026), held from February 10 to 12 at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos. The conference theme was “Africa’s Local Content Collaboration Strategy,” marking a decade of innovation in Africa’s oil and gas industry.
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Addressing industry leaders, policymakers, investors, and partners from across Africa and the global energy community, the NCDMB boss described SAIPEC’s 10-year milestone as a testament to the continent’s growing commitment to innovation, capacity building, and sustainable energy development.
According to him, insights from previous editions of the conference, particularly SAIPEC 2025, have shown that Africa’s journey toward effective local content development remains a work in progress, with collaboration emerging as the most critical success factor.
“Our efforts cannot be siloed,” Ogbe said. “They must be collective to ensure not just progress, but the consolidation of our achievements. Collaboration between governments, private sector players, and host communities remains the bedrock of successful local content strategies.”
He explained that Nigeria’s approach to local content development has been deliberate and systematic, evolving through clearly defined stages. The first phase focused on deepening indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector, followed by targeted capacity building and, more recently, the introduction of policies that prohibit the transfer of certification to intermediaries.
According to Ogbe, the new policy direction ensures that regulatory authorities engage only competent and capable contractors, making technical capacity a critical requirement in project tenders.
“This approach is aimed at strengthening value retention within the country and ensuring that Nigerian companies are not only participants but competitive players in the energy industry,” he noted.
Beyond Nigeria, the NCDMB Executive Secretary emphasized the need for a coordinated continental strategy anchored on collaboration and regulatory alignment. He urged African nations to collectively leverage the Brazzaville Accord to promote harmonized regulations, sectoral cooperation, and an Afro-centric approach to local content development.
Ogbe stated that aligning regulatory frameworks and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks would improve project competitiveness and enhance Africa’s ability to attract global investment.
“At the continental level, our drive must be anchored on collaboration,” he said. “By minimizing barriers and aligning our frameworks, we can make African energy projects more economically viable and globally competitive.”
He also highlighted the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank under the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO), in partnership with Afreximbank, as a major milestone for the continent’s energy sector.
According to him, the bank is designed to mobilize capital for African energy projects, provide access to affordable financing, strengthen indigenous companies, and build capacity across the energy value chain.
Ogbe urged governments, regulators, investors, and industry leaders to actively support the operational success of the Africa Energy Bank, describing it as a critical instrument for unlocking sustainable growth in Africa’s energy industry.
In his closing remarks, the NCDMB boss stressed that Africa’s energy future depends on shared vision and cross-border cooperation.
“The path forward for Africa’s energy sector requires collaboration,” he said. “By working together across borders, industries, and sectors, we can build inclusive, resilient, and sustainable local content strategies that will propel Africa’s energy industry to greater heights in a rapidly changing world.”
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