Africa Oil Week: NCDMB Pushes Local Content as Engine of Africa’s Industrial Transformation
By Pan Afric Reporters
A statement issued by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) through its Corporate Communications Division and signed by Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, PhD, General Manager, Corporate Communications Division, on September 2, 2026, said the Board’s participation was aimed at advancing local content development, African capacity building and regional collaboration in the energy sector.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has called on African oil-producing countries to move beyond mere ownership of natural resources and build sustainable industrial capacity capable of retaining greater value on the continent and positioning African businesses to compete effectively in the global energy market.
The call was made at the ongoing Africa Oil Week (AOW) 2026 in Accra, Ghana, where NCDMB participated actively in the Africa Local Content Programme themed “Building African Capacity, Competitiveness and Collaboration Across the Upstream Value Chain.” The programme, organised in partnership with the NCDMB, African Union and Petroleum Commission Ghana, brought together industry leaders and stakeholders to examine strategies for strengthening Africa’s upstream oil and gas value chain.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, delivered the opening remarks on the theme “From Resource Ownership to Industrial Power,” and was represented by the Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu. Halilu stressed that African local content frameworks must facilitate cross-border capacity development, while identifying research and technology development, local employment, strategic partnerships, ownership and control of assets, supply-chain optimisation, sustainable operations, increased use of locally made goods and contribution to GDP as key components of the local content value proposition. He stated: “Local content frameworks must promote the development and utilization of African cross border capacities for the industrialization of Africa.”
Other NCDMB officials also contributed to strategic sessions at the conference. Mr. Ajimijaye Omomehin, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, participated in discussions on harmonising technology and policy under the Brazzaville Accord and regional oil and gas industrial hubs, while Dr. Obinna Ezeobi moderated a session on market entry opportunities in Africa’s upstream sector. Mr. Erefagha Turner, Assistant Manager, Planning, Research and Statistics, highlighted the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund) as a financing model that has helped indigenous oil and gas service companies expand their capacities, while Engr. Dokubo Obongo, Manager, Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building, emphasised skills development and human-capital investment.
The discussions underscored the importance of access to capital, stable and harmonised policies, technology development, talent investment and regional collaboration in converting Africa’s abundant natural resources into sustainable industrial and economic opportunities. NCDMB said its participation in Africa Oil Week reflects its continued commitment to strengthening African capacity, promoting cross-border collaboration and supporting the emergence of an integrated, competitive and sustainable energy industry capable of driving economic growth across the continent.
