NCDMB Boss Says Strong Local Content Driving Growth of Indigenous Energy Firms

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix  Ogbe, has highlighted the growing impact of local content policies in strengthening the technical and operational capacities of indigenous oil and gas companies across Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking during his keynote address at the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES), Ogbe described the summit as a strategic platform that continues to influence Africa’s evolving energy landscape.

Ogbe underscored the need for Africa to transition from merely adopting innovations to becoming a hub for creating them.

He explained that achieving this vision requires stakeholders to focus on three key pillars — competence, capacity utilisation, and collaboration — which he described as critical drivers of Africa’s industrial growth.

According to him, competence involves developing a strong indigenous supply chain capable of delivering high-quality services while maintaining global standards. Capacity utilisation, he said, focuses on optimising domestic assets, including fabrication facilities and marine fleets, to ensure that local content initiatives translate into measurable value retention within the continent.

He further stressed the importance of collaboration, noting that stronger partnerships among regional economic blocs and private sector players would help drive the implementation of a unified Pan-African local content framework.

Ogbe stated that the NCDMB has made significant progress through regulatory frameworks, systems, and policies designed to promote indigenous technology development, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and encourage research and innovation. These efforts, he said, have contributed to the emergence of a resilient and competitive local supply chain.

He cited examples of Nigerian cable manufacturers that supplied approximately two million meters of cables for the NLNG Train 7 project, noting that these companies now possess the capacity to serve markets across Cameroon, Angola, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Algeria.

The NCDMB boss also highlighted the growth of indigenous firms such as Aveon, Beamco, and Tranos, which have developed fabrication and assembly facilities capable of producing pressure vessels, pumps, valves, cable trays, and other oilfield infrastructure components.

In the maritime sector, Ogbe pointed to companies like Temile Nigeria, owners of LNG carriers, and Tamrose, which operates a fleet of vessels, as examples of increasing indigenous participation in marine asset ownership.

He further noted that companies such as Radial Circle, Weafri, Harybeat, and Fairtex have expanded their operations beyond Nigeria, establishing a presence in countries including Angola, Ghana, Uganda, and Equatorial Guinea.

Ogbe also acknowledged the role of the Oil and Gas Trainers Association in equipping industry professionals with skills in field development, infrastructure management, facilities operations, and deepwater-related activities, thereby strengthening Africa’s oil and gas workforce.

He said recent policy measures introduced by the Federal Government, including the Executive Order on Local Content and the “Nigeria First” policy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, are aimed at boosting local capacity, attracting investments in gas and deepwater projects, and accelerating contract execution processes.

According to him, the NCDMB has also reviewed its operational guidelines to shorten contracting timelines and address issues surrounding the transferability of Nigerian Content Equipment Certificates (NCEC).

Ogbe maintained that sustainable industrial growth in Africa would depend on increased investment in talent development, process efficiency, research and development, advanced manufacturing, and cross-border trade in goods and services.

He noted that competence builds investor confidence, while capacity ensures investment certainty, adding that Nigeria aims to move from local participation to local mastery, where African firms lead Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects, manufacture complex components, and export specialised services.

The NCDMB helmsman also identified access to competitive financing as a major factor in sustaining local content development. He referenced the establishment of the African Energy Bank, whose headquarters has been handed over to the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO), describing it as a significant step toward improving funding access for energy projects across the continent.

Ogbe concluded that a strong combination of compliance, capacity utilisation, and collaboration would accelerate Africa’s industrialisation through energy innovation, technology-driven infrastructure, sustainable operations, manufacturing clusters, AfCFTA-enabled supply chains, and a highly skilled workforce capable of handling advanced technological operations.