Nigeria’s ability to retain more economic value from industrial investments depends not only on the facilities it builds but also on the local businesses that supply, maintain and support them. For the Dangote Refinery and other major industrial assets, this means developing Nigerian companies capable of providing equipment, engineering services and other essential inputs.

This was a central message at a strategic retreat of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Dangote Group’s Joint Technical Committee in Lagos on Friday. Industry stakeholders called for a stronger commitment to local capacity beyond regulatory compliance.

The meeting, themed “Beyond Compliance: Partnering for Sustainable Nigerian Content Development,” brought together oil and gas industry representatives and government institutions to discuss ways to strengthen indigenous participation and domestic supply chains.

In his keynote address, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Board’s Senior Technical Adviser and Director of Project Certification and Authorisation, Engr. Austin Uzoka, identified commitment, technology and financing as essential to a resilient Nigerian content ecosystem.

Ogbe stressed that building major industrial facilities was only part of the task. Nigerian businesses must also develop the capabilities to maintain equipment, supply locally available goods and services, and deliver specialised technical work. Without reliable domestic suppliers, more of the economic benefits of industrial investment could flow outside Nigeria.

The business case for stronger local suppliers

For indigenous businesses, participating in major industrial projects offers opportunities to increase revenue, employ more Nigerians and build the capacity to compete for larger contracts. However, suppliers must meet the quality, technical and operational requirements of the companies they serve.

Dangote Group Vice President, Dr Edwin Devakumar, called for a move away from treating Nigerian content as a regulatory obligation towards a stronger culture of national responsibility and industrial development.

He argued that local content should extend beyond sourcing raw materials to include skills transfer, workforce development and the growth of indigenous contractors into businesses capable of executing increasingly complex projects.

The NCDMB’s Director of Planning, Research and Statistics and Chairman of the Joint Technical Committee, Mr Omomehin Ajimijaye, outlined four key compliance requirements: Nigerian content planning, workforce localisation, local procurement and capacity development.

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Companies bidding for projects are expected to demonstrate how they will maximise Nigerian participation, prioritise qualified local workers, procure goods and services available within the country, and invest in training and technology transfer.

Ajimijaye also highlighted the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS), the Board’s digital platform for supplier registration, prequalification and capacity verification. He said reliable industry data could help identify skills shortages, connect businesses with qualified professionals and direct training towards areas of need.

He commended Dangote Group’s collaboration with NCDMB since around 2019 to develop Nigerian talent through local and overseas institutions, noting that some beneficiaries had subsequently secured employment within the group’s businesses.

Financing and technology remain major constraints

Even when indigenous companies possess the necessary skills, financing can determine whether they can secure and deliver major contracts. Businesses may need to purchase equipment, recruit workers and mobilise resources before receiving payment. Expensive credit makes these requirements particularly difficult for smaller suppliers seeking to expand.

Ogbe called for greater support for indigenous businesses and urged stakeholders to nurture the next generation of large-scale Nigerian industrialists. He also encouraged investment in additional refineries and related industrial ventures, arguing that a stronger domestic refining sector could position Nigeria as a major oil and gas hub.

Technology development is equally important. Ajimijaye called for sustained investment in research and development to encourage indigenous innovation, improve competitiveness and enable Nigerian companies to export technical expertise.

He disclosed that Nigerian content interventions had retained more than US$10 billion in the Nigerian economy, generated over 50,000 direct and indirect jobs, and supported more than 50 million man-hours of training. However, he put in-country value retention at approximately 61 percent, below the 70 percent target, and called for stronger collaboration to close the gap.

The figures indicate progress in domestic participation while highlighting the further work needed to increase the share of industry value retained within Nigeria.

Clearer regulation, stronger industrial participation

The retreat also addressed the regulatory environment facing oil and gas businesses, including those operating in free zones.

NCDMB Director of Legal Services, Dr Naboth Onyesoh, called for closer coordination among government institutions responsible for investment facilitation, petroleum regulation and Nigerian content compliance. He said clearer responsibilities and more effective engagement could reduce unnecessary duplication, improve the ease of doing business and strengthen investor confidence.

Onyesoh explained that free-zone incentives did not automatically exempt petroleum businesses from applicable federal laws. Depending on their activities, companies remained subject to relevant requirements of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and NCDMB.

He also highlighted efforts to strengthen indigenous maritime capacity through the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, which supports local companies seeking to acquire vessels and expand operations. He disclosed that the Nigerian Content Fund was partnering with Nigeria LNG Limited on a shipyard project at Snake Island to boost domestic industrial capacity.

For Nigerian businesses, better regulatory coordination could make it easier to understand compliance requirements, plan investments and pursue opportunities across the energy value chain.

The message from the NCDMB–Dangote retreat was that industrial investment delivers greater domestic benefits when Nigerian companies have the finance, technical capacity and market access to participate in major projects.

For the Dangote Refinery and other industrial assets, developing capable local suppliers is therefore more than a compliance exercise. It is an opportunity to strengthen Nigerian businesses, retain more value within the country and build supply chains capable of supporting long-term industrial growth.

Meiza Nigeria