Africa’s most populous country Nigeria, based on the groundwork it has already put into launching several oil and gas-targeted policies seems the more established personality to lead a continent aspiring to grow its local capacity in this sphere to full scale, a fact explaining why regional bodies are courting it simply to help launch specialised platforms that could aid indigenous companies in their come-up.

Extracting this commitment was specifically what a 1987-founded African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) courtesy call at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) liaison in Abuja, the federal capital territory yesterday wanted to get.

Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, a Nigerian, is APPO’s Secretary General and has held the post for the past five years, although his tenure would be ending by year end.

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Ever since his assumption into office on 4 January 2020, connecting with like-minded setups had been a vital aspect of enlivening his stewardship, and now, with the NCDMB’s executive secretary Engr. Felix Omatshola Ogbe, there is a tendency of a fine showcasing of his time in office if the idea to establish African centres of excellence in relevant countries checks out as a boost to local content development initiatives.

The early signs suggest he might succeed as Nigeria is already developing an interest.

Both the NCDMB and APPO have similar mandates – one focuses on strengthening national objectives, while the latter views the future from a collective prism, which could be the reason why their meeting could yield the desired fruit for all Africans seeking energy sufficiency.

The vision for excellence hubs

At the heart of APPO’s pitch was the establishment of centres of excellence in key oil-producing nations. The NCDMB’s oil and gas parks, which are set to be completed and commissioned in 2025, were proposed as ideal locations for these centres.

These parks will host Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and investors from across Africa, providing a hub for innovation, technology transfer, and skill development. So far, there have been inquiries from financiers wanting to chip in, Secretary General Ibrahim admits on his visit.

Excellence hubs as an initiative aligns with the broader goals of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which seeks to promote intra-African collaboration and reduce reliance on external resources.

With decades of expertise in the oil and gas industry, Nigeria is uniquely positioned to lead this continental initiative. Ibrahim called on the NCDMB to extend its capacity-building efforts to train technicians and personnel who can contribute to oil and gas projects across Africa.

He also invited the NCDMB to participate in the upcoming 4th African Local Content Roundtable in Congo, which will focus on enhancing local content development across the continent.

What the NCDMB is being asked to do by all means isn’t new, being that the Board already demonstrated its commitment to supporting African nations through partnerships with entities like Ghana’s Petroleum Commission and Senegal’s National Local Content Monitoring Committee.

By sharing its success stories and showcasing the capabilities of Nigerian oil and gas service companies, the local content agency is paving the way for greater collaboration and opportunities within Africa’s markets.

Calling Africa to Nigeria

APPO’s broader agenda includes reducing Africa’s dependence on foreign nations for petroleum resource development. A cornerstone of this effort is the recently established African Energy Bank, headquartered in Abuja, which aims to provide the funding needed for the sector’s growth.

Dr. Ibrahim commended the NCDMB’s achievements in Nigerian content development, attributing its success to a robust framework and strong political backing—an area where many African nations fall short.

With so much confidence in the agency he leads, Engr. Felix Omatshola Ogbe has fresh confirmation that the NCDMB under him is being seen and has been impactful. He enthused about the proposed centres of excellence and reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to driving local content development.

After this came an invitation to investors across Africa and beyond to participate in the oil and gas parks, emphasising that the Nigerian content policy focuses on domiciliation and domestication rather than indigenisation.

With Nigeria taking the lead, Africa’s energy-rich nations have a unique opportunity to chart a new course towards sustainability and prosperity.

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.