The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe has called for a unified local content strategy across Sub-Saharan Africa to boost industrialization and economic growth in the region.
Speaking at the 9th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC), he emphasized that fragmented implementation of local content policies continues to hinder progress in the oil and gas sector.
Ogbe listed key pillars for collaboration, including the harmonization of local content policies, human capital development, infrastructure investment, funding provisions, and technology transfer.
He highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as a vital tool in fostering regional partnerships.
“Africa must leverage collective strengths to create a formidable and self-reliant petroleum sector,” Ogbe stated, stressing that governments, industry players, and financial institutions must work together to enable indigenous participation.
He also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent Executive Order, which reduced Nigeria’s oil and gas contracting cycle from 36 months to six months, accelerating project approvals and strengthening investor confidence.
The NCDMB continues to expand collaborations, signing agreements with countries such as Senegal, Ghana, and Uganda to support their local content frameworks.
The agency is also spearheading initiatives like the “Back to the Creek” project, aimed at equipping youth in oil-producing regions with technical skills.
Ogbe urged stakeholders to act swiftly, stating, “The time to act is now. Let us harness our collective strengths and drive Africa’s transformation through an integrated local content approach.”
