NCDMB, PETAN Share Nigeria’s Local Content Success at Namibia Oil & Gas Conference
Windhoek, Namibia — August 14, 2025 — Officials from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) have shared valuable insights on Nigeria’s local content journey, offering lessons for other African nations during Day 2 of the 2025 Namibia Oil and Gas Conference.
Presentations on Nigeria’s Local Content Success
Representing the NCDMB, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Director of Corporate Services, delivered a presentation titled “Local Content Success Stories in Nigeria and Lessons Learnt”.
He outlined Nigeria’s six pillars of local content implementation:
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Regulatory framework
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Access to market
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Gap analysis
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Capacity building
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Incentives and funding
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Research and development
Halilu highlighted PETAN’s vital role, noting that the association’s over 101 member companies employ more than 30,000 Nigerians directly, with a cumulative employment impact of over 100,000. He also credited the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap for boosting local content performance to 56% by 2025.
Policy Recommendations for African Nations
During a panel session titled “Local Content Development: How Namibians Can Benefit from the Oil and Gas Industry”, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, NCDMB’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, shared actionable strategies for Namibia and other African countries, including:
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Adopting NCDMB’s Project 100 Initiative to provide targeted financial and non-financial support to select local service companies.
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Encouraging public-private partnerships to deliver strategic energy projects.
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Facilitating collaboration between local firms and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
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Sponsoring local companies to international oil and gas conferences for exposure to partnerships and new technologies.
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Introducing dedicated low-interest funding schemes to build local capacity.
Ezeobi emphasized the importance of political will and effective communication to ensure stakeholders understand local content policies and their roles in compliance.
Overcoming Nigeria’s Early Challenges
Responding to questions about the initial hurdles in implementing the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, Ezeobi cited early resistance from some international firms, skepticism over government commitment, and doubts about local technical capacity.
He noted that these challenges were overcome through extensive stakeholder engagement and the consistent delivery of high-quality, on-schedule work by Nigerian companies.
PETAN’s Practical Advice for Namibia
PETAN Chairman and NCDMB Governing Council member, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya, advised Namibia to “decouple non-complex work packages” from major projects and create a detailed activity list similar to that in Nigeria’s NOGICD Act.
This approach, he explained, allows smaller local companies to win and successfully deliver on less complex contracts, enabling them to grow capacity sustainably.
Showcasing Nigeria at the Conference
As part of their collaboration, NCDMB and PETAN hosted a joint exhibition booth at the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference. They welcomed government leaders, industry stakeholders, and technical service providers, many of whom sought deeper understanding of Nigeria’s local content framework or explored potential partnerships in Namibia’s rapidly developing oil and gas industry.
