Nigeria’s local content policy has transformed the country’s oil and gas industry over the past 15 years, helping indigenous companies increase their share of industry activities and take greater control of the value created from the nation’s natural resources. Now, industry stakeholders are preparing to assess how far that journey has come and what must happen next.

That conversation will take centre stage at the 15th edition of the Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Forum, scheduled to hold from November 30 to December 3, 2026.

Organised by dmg Nigeria events in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the forum comes at a pivotal moment for the industry. As Nigeria grapples with shifting global energy trends, growing investment needs and increasing pressure to deepen industrialisation, stakeholders are being forced to ask a critical question: what should the next phase of Nigerian Content look like?

When the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act came into force in 2010, local content utilisation stood at just five percent. Much of the industry’s engineering, fabrication, procurement and technical services were carried out outside the country, limiting the economic benefits retained from oil and gas activities.

Today, that picture has changed significantly.

According to NCDMB, local content performance has risen to 61 percent, while indigenous companies now account for more than half of Nigeria’s oil and gas production. Nigerian firms have expanded their presence across exploration, drilling, fabrication, marine logistics, engineering services, project management and asset ownership, sectors once dominated largely by international operators.

The impact extends beyond participation levels. Over the years, local content policies have helped stimulate investments in fabrication yards, pipe mills, training centres, modular refineries and gas infrastructure, contributing to stronger in-country capacity across the oil and gas value chain.

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NCDMB’s 10-year strategic roadmap is also credited with supporting the creation of more than 50,000 jobs, reflecting increased local enterprise development and value retention within the economy.

Yet industry leaders acknowledge that significant challenges remain.

As competition for energy investment intensifies globally, stakeholders are increasingly focused on how Nigeria can move beyond compliance-driven local content implementation toward deeper industrial development, manufacturing growth, technology transfer and sustainable value creation.

These issues are expected to feature prominently during discussions at the upcoming forum.

Speaking on the significance of the event, Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe described the PNC Forum as an important platform for reviewing Nigeria’s local content journey and shaping the next phase of industry growth.

Country Director of dmg events Nigeria, Wemimo Oyelana, said the forum would also examine the impact of the Presidential Directive on Local Content and its implications for investment, enforcement and in-country capacity development.

For many participants, however, the significance of this year’s gathering goes beyond celebrating milestones. It represents an opportunity to evaluate the real impact of 15 years of local content implementation and identify the priorities that will define the next chapter of industry development.

At a time when energy transition, financing pressures and industrial competitiveness are reshaping the global oil and gas landscape, the answers emerging from that conversation could play a key role in determining how much value Nigeria continues to derive from its resources in the years ahead.

Meiza Nigeria