The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has renewed its call for increased investment in local manufacturing and research and development, R&D, as part of efforts to deepen indigenous capacity and strengthen Nigeria’s leadership position in the offshore oil and gas industry.
The Board made the call at the OWI West Africa 2026 Conference, West Africa’s premier offshore well intervention forum, held in Lagos from June 2 to 3, where its Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Silas Omomehin Ajimijaye, represented the agency on a high-level panel discussion.
Speaking during a session titled “Local Capability, Leadership and New Delivery Models, and Execution in West Africa,” Ajimijaye highlighted the achievements recorded under Nigeria’s local content regime and outlined the next phase of the Board’s strategy to increase value retention within the country.
According to him, Nigeria has made remarkable progress in building indigenous expertise, attaining approximately 80 per cent local content in engineering and fabrication activities, but must now focus on expanding domestic manufacturing and innovation-driven research.
“Nigeria is no longer content merely to participate in the oil and gas industry; we are building the capacity to lead it. We have reached around 80 per cent local content in engineering and fabrication, and our focus now is on closing the manufacturing and research gap so that more value is retained in the country,” he said.
Ajimijaye explained that the Board’s current policy direction is anchored on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development, NOGICD, Act of 2010, as well as a series of Executive Orders and Presidential Directives introduced in 2024 to reduce contracting timelines and costs while strengthening compliance with local content requirements.
He noted that although significant gains have been recorded, manufacturing activities remain largely assembly-based, while research and development still require substantial investment to achieve the Board’s target of 70 per cent local content retention by the end of 2027.
While emphasising the importance of collaboration, he urged operators and service providers to engage with the Board from the conceptual stage of projects to ensure that Nigerian content is fully integrated into project design and execution.
“Local content is a partnership, not a barrier. We are asking the industry to build genuine capability with us, to invest in local research and development, and to engage the Board early so that Nigerian content is designed into every project from the start,” he stated.
The Director also highlighted ongoing efforts to build human capacity across the sector through training programmes implemented in collaboration with major operators, including Renaissance Africa Energy and Seplat Energy.
He added that the Board is supporting talent development through university-based initiatives and centres of excellence established with partner institutions to drive research and industry-focused solutions.
Ajimijaye further disclosed that the NCDMB has expanded access to financing through its intervention fund managed in partnership with the Bank of Industry, alongside a dedicated funding window designed to support women-led businesses operating within the oil and gas value chain.
He said the Board’s participation at OWI West Africa 2026 aligns with its broader agenda under the leadership of Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, to consolidate the gains of the past decade and position Nigerian companies to compete effectively beyond the domestic market.
According to him, the initiative is also consistent with the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at boosting local enterprise, enhancing competitiveness and enabling Nigerian firms to export their expertise and services across West Africa and other international markets.
