The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) says Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry has risen from five per cent in 2010 to 61 per cent.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Felix Ogbe, disclosed this in a speech delivered at the 2026 Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) Conference on Thursday in Lagos.
Ogbe was represented by Dr Obinna Ezeobi, the board’s General Manager, Corporate Communications.
He said the next priority was to make Nigerian companies competitive enough to operate and export their capabilities globally.
“The next frontier is about being competitive,” he said.
Ogbe said Nigerian companies needed the capacity, skills and agility to compete beyond Nigeria as the current 10-year Nigerian Content Plan winds down.
“It is not enough to have the capacity to operate in Nigeria. It is not enough to have Nigerian content and products.
“Going forward, Nigerian companies need to be competitive and able to operate across the globe,” he said.
Ogbe said the NCDMB had trained more than 10,000 Nigerians in critical skills over the past 15 years.
He added that 17,000 Nigerians had registered for training in 10 priority skills required for emerging oil and gas projects.
According to him, the programme was designed to prepare Nigerians for opportunities arising from new investments and Final Investment Decisions (FIDs) in the sector.
He said the board was also strengthening indigenous companies through financing, equipment development, research and development, and strategic partnerships.
Ogbe said the NCDMB was promoting local equipment manufacturing to reduce dependence on imported components for the oil and gas industry.
He said the board was also linking Nigerian companies with foreign firms and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to strengthen their capabilities.
He added that the board was creating opportunities for Nigerian companies to expand into other African markets.
Ogbe said Nigerian content had moved beyond participation in domestic projects and must now focus on building companies capable of competing internationally.
Earlier, the Chairman of NAEC, Mr Ugo Amadi, said indigenous operators still faced challenges in developing oil and gas assets.
Amadi identified high entry costs, lengthy approval processes and funding gaps as major constraints to indigenous participation.
He said removing the barriers would unlock investment, expand local capacity and boost production.
The conference, themed “Access to Assets: Empowering Players and Driving Growth,” brought together policymakers, regulators and industry leaders to examine barriers to investment and indigenous participation in Nigeria’s energy sector. (NAN)
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