Lydia Bello
Nigeria and Ghana have strengthened cooperation in the oil and gas sector as the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) commenced a benchmarking study of Nigeria’s local content development framework and implementation strategies.
A delegation from GNPC, led by Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Eric Pwadura, visited the headquarters of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for a week-long knowledge exchange programme focused on building indigenous capacity and increasing local participation in the petroleum industry.
Receiving the delegation, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said African oil-producing countries must prioritise local content development to reduce dependence on foreign technology and expertise in exploration, field development, and production activities.
Ogbe noted that Africa holds significant hydrocarbon resources, including more than 120 billion barrels of crude oil reserves and about 800 trillion standard cubic feet of gas, making it critical for producing nations to develop domestic capabilities to maximise economic benefits.
Represented by the Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, the NCDMB chief executive described crude oil as a potential catalyst for economic transformation, stressing that Africa’s youthful population provides a strong foundation for developing skilled manpower for the energy industry.
“Local content does not compromise standards. It does not mean African standards or foreign standards — it is one global standard,” Ogbe said, emphasising the need for indigenous participation without reducing industry quality.
He explained that Nigeria’s local content framework has evolved from a policy initiative under the former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into a dedicated institution responsible for driving value creation within the oil and gas sector.
The NCDMB highlighted its Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap, which focuses on technical capability development, compliance and enforcement, business environment improvement, organisational growth, and expansion of sectoral and regional markets.
A key component of the Board’s strategy is the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund), operated through development finance institutions including the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), which provides financing support to indigenous oil and gas companies.
According to the Board, the fund has enabled local firms to acquire critical assets, strengthen operational capacity, and compete more effectively in the petroleum industry.
Assistant Manager, Strategy and Transformational Projects at NCDMB, Dr. Zuwairat Asekome, said the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010 has significantly increased domestic value addition in the sector, raising in-country participation to about 61 per cent.
Responding, GNPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Eric Pwadura, praised Nigeria’s local content model, saying Ghana was seeking deeper insight into the structures, policies, and institutional mechanisms that have supported Nigeria’s progress.
“Even though we have legislation guiding local content, we have not had the benefit of having a robust local content environment like you have,” he said.
The engagement reflects growing collaboration among African oil-producing nations seeking to retain more value from their natural resources, develop local industries, and create employment opportunities through stronger indigenous participation.
NCDMB said it remains committed to sharing its experience with other African countries, noting existing partnerships with energy institutions in Ghana, Senegal, Mozambique, Angola, and Namibia.
The visit is expected to further strengthen regional cooperation and support Africa’s drive toward greater control of its energy value chains.
