DR Congo Delegates In Nigeria To Study, Copy NCDMB’S Oil, Gas Local Content Model

‘Place, Name and Trade;’ everything the delegation, led by the Minister of Hydrocarbons, Simplice Stev Onanga, is in Nigeria to understudy

A high-level delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, has arrived in Nigeria to understudy the country’s celebrated local content framework in the oil and gas industry.

The delegation, led by the Minister of Hydrocarbons, His Excellency Simplice Stev Onanga, was received in Abuja on Monday by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.

Lokpobiri reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to knowledge-sharing with fellow African nations, particularly under the African Petroleum Producers Organisation, APPO, platform, declaring that Africa’s energy solutions must come from within.

“The solution to Africa’s energy challenges lies within Africa,” Lokpobiri said, revealing that Nigeria now produces over 1.8 million barrels of crude oil per day and has achieved 61% local content capacity 16 years after enacting the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.

He explained that while deep offshore operations are still dominated by foreign companies, Nigerian firms now control land and shallow water assets, driven by indigenous players like Renaissance Africa Energy Company, SEPLAT Energy and Oando Energy Resources who have acquired assets divested by International Oil Companies.

According to Lokpobiri, Nigeria’s local content success is industry-funded through a 1% Nigerian Content Development Fund levy on awarded upstream contracts, and assured the DRC team that Nigeria would openly share its experience on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, also pledged full support. Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by Director of Corporate Services Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, said the Board is ready to help DRC build a robust framework.

Halilu pointed to Nigeria’s strong institutional structures, regulatory synergy and a 10-year strategic roadmap targeting 70% in-country value retention and over 300,000 direct jobs by 2027.

Responding, Minister Onanga praised Nigeria as the only African country to attain significant self-sufficiency in oil and gas local content. “We are proud to be in Nigeria to witness what has been accomplished,” he said.

The week-long understudy visit, which runs till Friday, will include tours of NCDMB Headquarters in Bayelsa, Onne Free Zone fabrication workshops, NLNG supplier sessions, UniPort Gas Centre, LADOL/Nigerdock yards and other strategic facilities, according to GM Corporate Communications, Obinna Ezeobi.

NOP NIGERIA