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Nigeria’s local content in the oil and gas industry has risen to more than 61 per cent from less than five per cent before the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act in 2010, attracting over $20 billion in in-country investments, according to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The milestone will take centre stage at the Nigerian Content Seminar, which opens the 25th edition of NOG Energy Week 2026 in Abuja on Monday, July 6, under the theme, “Shaping the Next Phase of Local Content Growth.”
Organisers said the seminar will examine how Nigeria can sustain the gains recorded under the local content policy while building the technical and industrial capacity needed to support the next phase of investment in the country’s energy sector.
According to the NCDMB, the implementation of the NOGICD Act has significantly increased indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry, enabling Nigerian companies to secure more contracts and strengthening local investment across the sector.
However, industry stakeholders believe the next challenge is to move beyond contract awards to developing the engineering, manufacturing and operational capabilities that will enable indigenous firms to execute increasingly complex projects without relying heavily on foreign expertise and imported equipment.
The discussions come as Nigeria prepares for a fresh wave of upstream investments, including major offshore projects such as Shell’s $2 billion HI Field development and the $5 billion Bonga North deepwater project.
These investments are expected to create new opportunities for local companies in fabrication, marine services, engineering and project delivery, while also testing the industry’s capacity to meet growing demand.
The NCDMB recently identified technical skills shortages in specialised areas after reviewing expatriate quota applications submitted by operators.
To bridge the gap, the Board has launched programmes aimed at training more than 10,000 Nigerians for careers in the oil and gas industry.
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Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the initiative is designed to prepare young Nigerians for emerging opportunities in the sector.
“We will equip young Nigerians with practical, field-ready skills to ensure they can take part in the new wave of oil and gas projects and reduce overreliance on expatriate expertise,” Ogbe said.
The Board is also implementing its Equipment Components Manufacturing Initiative to encourage local production of industrial equipment that is currently imported.
Beyond Nigeria, the seminar will also explore opportunities for greater collaboration among African oil-producing countries on local content development.
Nigeria’s local content framework has increasingly become a model for other African producers, including Ghana, with discussions expected to focus on harmonising policies across the continent to retain more value from Africa’s natural resources.
Portfolio and Country Director of dmg Nigeria Events, Wemimo Oyelana, said the conversation on local content has evolved beyond achieving numerical targets.
“The local content debate in Nigeria has moved on. It is no longer about hitting a percentage. It is about whether the country can turn those numbers into real industrial capability, and that is the conversation this seminar is built around,” he said.
Now in its 25th edition, NOG Energy Week remains one of Africa’s largest energy industry gatherings, bringing together government officials, international oil companies, indigenous operators, investors, regulators and technology providers to discuss the future of the continent’s energy sector.
This year’s event is expected to attract about 7,500 participants, including more than 2,000 conference delegates, 150 speakers, 300 exhibitors and representatives from 85 countries. It will feature discussions on oil and gas, power, renewable energy, technology, finance and investment.
