Nigeria’s oil, gas local content reach 61% in 15 years

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Ogbe, an engineer, yesterday revealed that in the last 15 years, local participation in the country’s oil and gas sector recorded a significant rise from less than five per cent to 61 per cent.

He made this known yesterday while delivering his speech at the 25th Edition of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Energy Week currently ongoing in Abuja. He spoke on the theme: “Shaping the Next Phase of Local Content Growth.”

The NCDMB boss attributed the increase to the signing of the NOGICD Act of 2010, describing it as accounting for the success.

To sustain this increase, Ogbe said, the next phase must focus on manufacturing, competence and global competitiveness, if the country is to achieve its target of becoming a $1 trillion economy.
“Over the last 15 years, Nigeria’s local content journey has become a remarkable success story,” Ogbe declared, adding that, “Through the implementation of the NOGICD Act of 2010, we have transformed local participation in the oil and gas industry from marginal levels of less than five per cent to 61 per cent a situation where Nigerians now own assets, provide services, execute projects, and contribute significantly across the oil and gas value chain.”

Although he expressed satisfaction with the feat, Ogbe nonetheless said the next phase of the board’s strategy is to move beyond mere compliance metrics toward deep-rooted industrialisation and global competitiveness.
“These achievements deserve to be celebrated. However, they also compel us to ask a fundamental question: What comes next? The next phase of local content growth must go beyond participation and compliance. It must focus on capacity expansion, industrialization, manufacturing, sustainability and global competitiveness,” the NCDMB boss said.

To ensure a sustenance of this achievement and further upscaling, he disclosed that the NCDMB, following in line with Presidential Directives, has partnered with NIPEX, NUPRC, NMDPRA, NNPC, and the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) to create a harmonised ranking system.

To this end, the Board will commence modification of its various certification portals in readiness for the joint industry capacity audits of in-country manufacturers and service providers operating within the oil and gas industry.

The audit, he added, will begin in the third quarter 2026.
“The outcome of the in-country capacity audit will provide a detailed understanding of existing capabilities, eliminate intermediaries, improve contracting cycle timelines, and ensure direct patronage of established service providers for business sustainability and growth.
“The findings from the exercise will also enable the Board and industry stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding investment priorities, technology partnerships, financing support, and policy interventions,” Ogbe added.

The Board, he revealed, also maintained a zero tolerance against operators failing to remit their statutory fees into the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF)- a fund meant for building domestic capability. To ensure full compliance, possessing an NCDF Compliance Certificate will now be major criteria for doing business.

“It is therefore unacceptable for any company to withhold, delay, or fail to remit its statutory contributions to the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF). The Board will continue to strengthen its compliance and enforcement mechanisms and will not hesitate to invoke all available regulatory measures to ensure compliance, because possession of a valid NCDF Compliance Certificate is increasingly becoming an important requirement for participation in industry opportunities and regulatory engagements,” Ogbe added.