Nigeria shares local content expertise @Namibia oil and gas conference - ITREALMS

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Nigeria’s achievements in the oil and gas sector have become a benchmark for other African nations, reports ITREALMS. 

At, the 2025 Namibia Oil and Gas Conference in Windhoek, Nigeria's local content successes were a frequent topic of discussion. 

Policymakers and industry leaders from both countries attended the event, which aims to boost Namibia's local content ecosystem.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) attended the conference as part of a joint effort to promote African local content and open up new markets for Nigerian companies. 

The NCDMB delegation was led by the Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, who represented the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe. The PETAN team was led by its Chairman, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya.

ITREALMS gathered that during his presentation at the Local Content Masterclass, Dr. Halilu outlined a strategic framework for African nations to develop their local content capabilities. 

He highlighted that the value of local content extends to crucial areas like research and technology development, local employment, strategic partnerships, and increasing the use of locally-made goods to boost a nation's GDP. 

Using Nigeria as a case study, Dr. Halilu detailed some of the NCDMB's key accomplishments, which include establishing world-class fabrication and construction yards, investing in human capital development and local manufacturing, supporting the growth of the service sector, providing financial backing for projects, and developing integration capabilities for Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities. 

He also emphasized that the next phase of Nigeria's local content evolution involves a focus on equipment assembly, component manufacturing, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and prioritizing gas-based industrialization.

Dr. Halilu encouraged oil-producing African countries to specialize in different areas of the oil and gas value chain and develop their unique competencies. 

This specialization would allow for inter-country trade and collaboration, enabling African nations to collectively manufacture complex oil and gas equipment. 

He used the Boeing aircraft model as an example, where different Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) from various countries produce critical components for assembly at a central location. 

This approach would ensure each nation develops a competitive advantage and contributes meaningfully to the broader African energy sector.

Concluding his presentation, Dr. Halilu shared several valuable insights for successful local content implementation. 

He explained that local content development is a marathon, not a sprint, and must be treated as a business strategy rather than corporate social responsibility, stressing that the implementation must also be cost-effective and tailored to a country's specific local context. 

Furthermore, he noted that regulations should apply to all industry players, not just foreign companies. 

He stressed that capacity-building initiatives should include grassroots and underserved communities, adding that local content practice will only grow if new projects are continuously developed.

He concluded by affirming Nigeria’s readiness to partner with Namibia and other African nations to build an energy sector that empowers local people and fosters shared prosperity.

The conference also featured a presentation by the NCDMB's General Manager for Human Capacity Development, Esueme Dan Kikile, who shared more of the board's success stories. 

The conference is scheduled to continue until Friday, with another presentation from the NCDMB Executive Secretary and a panel discussion featuring PETAN Chairman, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya.