NCDMB, PETAN showcase Nigeria’s local content model as blueprint for African oil producers

Nigeria’s success in local content development took center stage on Wednesday at the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference in Windhoek, where top officials from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) shared key lessons with African peers.

On Day 2 of the event, the Director of Corporate Services at NCDMB, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, delivered a presentation titled “Local Content Success Stories in Nigeria and Lessons Learnt.”

He outlined the pillars of Nigeria’s local content framework, including a robust regulatory structure, access to markets, capacity building, funding and incentives, gap analysis, and research and development.

Halilu credited the implementation of NCDMB’s 10-year strategic roadmap with boosting Nigeria’s local content performance to 56 percent as of 2025.

He also highlighted PETAN’s contributions—representing over 101 technology-driven companies that collectively employ more than 30,000 Nigerians and have a cumulative employment impact exceeding 100,000.

According to him, initiatives such as targeted capacity development, funding support, and market access have been central to growing in-country value addition in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

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In a panel session titled “Local Content Development: How Namibians Can Benefit from the Oil and Gas Industry,” Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, NCDMB’s General Manager of Corporate Communications, recommended that Namibia adopt Nigeria’s Project 100 model, which provides strategic financial and non-financial support to selected service companies to help upscale their capabilities and gain market access.

Ezeobi further advised governments to partner with capable private sector players to deliver critical energy projects, facilitate linkages between local firms and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and sponsor indigenous service companies to participate in international oil and gas conferences.

He also underscored the importance of single-digit interest rate funding schemes to help local firms scale sustainably.

Responding to questions on Nigeria’s early challenges with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, Ezeobi recalled pushback from some international oil companies and doubts over local technical capacity.

These were overcome, he said, through stakeholder engagement, effective communication, and demonstrable competence by Nigerian firms in delivering quality projects on time.

“Strong political will and clear communication are essential for any oil-producing nation implementing local content policies,” he stressed.

Adding to the discussion, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya, PETAN Chairman and a member of NCDMB’s Governing Council, advised Namibia to break down large projects into smaller, non-complex work packages that emerging local companies can handle.

He also encouraged developing a comprehensive activity schedule, as provided in the NOGICD Act, to guide policy implementation and foster sustainable growth for indigenous firms.