Africa’s oil and gas sector has long been a major economic driving force, generating billions in revenue every year. Yet for decades, much of that value has slipped away through reliance on foreign service providers, imported services, and offshore expertise. Notwithstanding abundant reserves, many African nations have struggled to fully capture the benefits of their own resources, with local firms often bypassed in major projects.

Calls for stronger local content policies have grown in recent years, driven by the need to develop homegrown skills, retain more economic value, and create sustainable jobs for African citizens. It is in this direction that the African Content Organisation (ALCO) has emerged, the first private sector-led initiative of its kind, uniting service providers, technology partners, and industry leaders from 14 countries.

The announcement was made during Day 2 of the 2025 Namibia Oil and Gas Conference in Windhoek. ALCO will act as a platform for national associations of service providers in oil, gas, and mining to collaborate, share technical know-how, and jointly tackle large-scale projects.

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Wole Ogunsanya, PETAN Chairman and a member of the NCDMB Governing Council, introduced ALCO as the private-sector counterpart to the African Petroleum Organisation (APPO), which represents Africa’s oil- and gas-producing governments.

Ogunsanya emphasised the central role of private industry in building Africa’s local content, from training skilled workers and deploying advanced technology to raising private investment and delivering complex infrastructure. He revealed that ALCO’s official launch is slated for the 2026 African Union Conference, underscoring its strategic importance to Africa’s long-term economic growth.

One of ALCO’s main priorities will be fostering strong ties with APPO and the African Energy Bank (AEB), which was created to finance large-scale energy projects and bridge funding gaps. Ogunsanya noted that ALCO members are ready to take on significant portions of AEB-financed projects, ensuring that both value creation and spending remain within the continent.

Other goals include encouraging cross-border partnerships among African service providers, enabling equipment and skills exchange, and collaborating on research to address industry challenges. As Namibia or any other African country develops energy projects, you can count on your African brothers. We bring more than 70 years of combined oil and gas experience, ready to share knowledge and build together.

So far, 14 nations, including Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have signed on. Ogunsanya is serving as interim chair, with Senegal’s Ibrahim Talla as secretary.
The NCDMB has pledged full support for ALCO. Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented in Namibia by Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, hailed the organisation as a vital step towards strengthening African local content. He pointed to the NCDMB’s role in establishing the African Energy Bank and committed to backing ALCO’s mission.

With momentum building, ALCO could become the unifying force Africa’s energy sector needs, one that ensures the continent not only extracts its resources but also retains the full economic value they generate.

Meiza Nigeria