February 27, (THEWILL) – The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has called for an Africa-wide local content framework to drive sustainable economic growth across the continent’s oil and gas sector.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the Nigerian International Energy Summit, Ogbe stressed the need for harmonized policies and stronger cross-border partnerships, stating that “local content is not just a policy – it is a strategic tool for industrialization and economic transformation.”
He added that Africa’s true wealth lies not in the mere extraction of resources but in how value is retained and multiplied within local economies.
Delivering a keynote address titled Unlocking Africa’s Potential through Local Content: Policies, Partnerships, and Progress, the NCDMB boss emphasized that the African Continental Free Trade Area presents a unique opportunity to position local content as a catalyst for economic expansion and industrialization.
According to him, unlocking Africa’s energy potential requires commitment to capacity building, policy reforms, and strategic collaborations. He assured industry stakeholders that NCDMB remains committed to sharing best practices, co-developing industrial hubs, and fostering synergies that benefit Africa’s energy landscape.
On Nigeria’s recent investment drive, Ogbe commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing Executive Orders that have positioned the country as Africa’s top investment destination in the oil and gas sector.
He noted that the Executive Orders have drastically reduced the contracting cycle for oil and gas projects from 36 months to six months, eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks and accelerating project approvals.
“This directive has significantly boosted investor confidence, fast-tracked project execution, and within a year, led to four Final Investment Decisions (FID),” he revealed.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
