The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe has delivered a strong message on “Local Content Beyond Compliance: Building African Industrial Powerhouses” at the 2026 Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja, Nigeria, with the theme “Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing Our Shared Future.”
Represented by Abdulmalik Halilu, the keynote challenged Africa to move from consuming to creating innovation, which is defined as “beyond compliance”. centering on three pillars: competence, capacity utilisation, and collaboration.
He analyzed that competence means building an indigenous supply chain that delivers service excellence without compromising standards. Capacity utilisation means maximising domestic assets, from fabrication yards to marine fleets, so local content becomes local mastery and value retention. Collaboration means aligning regional blocs and the private sector behind a single Pan-African local content template.
NCDMB highlighted progress made through regulations, systems, and processes that have strengthened indigenous technology, local manufacturing, research and innovation, and a more resilient supply chain. Examples cited included Nigerian cable manufacturers supporting projects like NLNG Train 7 and positioned to serve wider African markets; fabrication and assembly yards such as Aveon Offshore, Beamco Nigeria Limited, and Tranos building capability across key components; and increasing indigenous ownership of marine assets through companies like Temile Nigeria Limited and Tamrose.
Further in his address, Dr. Halilu also noted that the Nigerian service companies are expanding operations into other African markets and a growing training pipeline, with over 10,000 youths being skilled through field readiness programmes in high-demand areas such as subsea, QA/QC, marine operations, automation and controls, underwater welding, digitalization, and drilling.
Halilu stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms, Executive Orders, and the “Nigeria First” policy are to boost local capacity, reduce contracting costs, and remove intermediaries that add cost without value, adding that NCDMB has announced policy revisions around the NCEC to prevent transfers to intermediaries and to priorities competent contractors, including within the $1,000,000 threshold referenced in Section 17(1) of the NOGICD Act 2010.
On regional cooperation, Halilu stated that Nigeria has reaffirmed support for the Brazzaville Accord as a pathway toward a unified industrial engine for Africa’s 1.4-billion-person market and stronger cross-border partnerships. He also highlighted that access to competitive financing for stakeholders, now that the African Energy Bank is a reality, and its office has been handed over to APPO, is a major boost for project financing and African competitiveness.
The closing message was clear: local content beyond compliance is not just an energy agenda, but a development and sovereignty agenda for African prosperity. With competence, capacity utilisation, and collaboration, Africa can move from local participation to local mastery, building, partnering, and leading the industrial future it seeks.
