Nigeria eyes local content beyond compliance initiative

Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), has called for a shift from mere compliance to mastery in local content development, as it seeks to position Africa as an industrial powerhouse.

Delivering a keynote address at the Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr Felix Ogbe, represented by Dr Abdulmalik Halilu, the Board’s Director, Corporate Services, emphasized the need for competence, capacity utilization, and collaboration to drive Africa’s industrial growth.

He said the summit’s theme, “Local Content Beyond Compliance: Building African Industrial Powerhouses,” aligned with Africa’s vision for sustainable development and industrialization. 

According to Ogbe, “Local Content Beyond Compliance” is not just an energy agenda, but a development and sovereignty agenda for African prosperity.

He said: “For Africa to be an industrial powerhouse, we must collectively and collaboratively embrace talent development, process excellence, research & development, modern manufacturing capabilities and cross border trade in goods and services.

“Competence is what gives investors’ confidence and capacity is what gives investors certainty. Our aspiration is to evolve from “local participation” to local mastery, where African companies lead EPC projects, fabricate complex components, and export specialized services.”

He highlighted NCDMB’s achievements, including the development of indigenous technologies, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and creating a resilient supply chain.

“The initiative has yielded impressive results, with Nigerian companies supplying cables, fabricating equipment, and providing specialized services to the oil and gas industry.

“Companies like Aveon, Beamco, and Tranos have built capabilities for fabrication and assembly, while Temile Nigeria and Tamrose have expanded their marine operations.

“The NCDMB has also trained over 10,000 youths in high-demand skills, including geosciences, subsea engineering, and digitalization. 

The Executive Order on local content issued by President Tinubu’s administration aims to boost local capacity and attract investment in gas and deepwater projects,” he said.

Ogbe stressed the importance of regional collaboration, citing the Brazzaville Accord, which created a unified industrial engine for a 1.4-billion-person market. 

He also welcomed the African Energy Bank, which will provide access to competitive financing for local companies.