‘From Resource Ownership To Industrial Power’: NCDMB Leads Push For African Local Content at AOW

‘Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, Mr. Ajimijaye Omomehin’ who-said-what on local content in at the Africa Oil Confab in Accra

Accra, Ghana — NOP NIGERIA

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, took center stage at Africa Oil Week 2026 in Accra, Ghana, leading continental discussions on how to transform Africa’s oil and gas resources into real industrial power.

AOW 2026 is the continent’s premier international conference and exhibition for Africa’s oil, gas and upstream energy sector, bringing together governments, regulators, investors, and service providers to shape the future of African energy.

At the heart of the week was the Africa Local Content Programme themed “Building African Capacity, Competitiveness and Collaboration Across the Upstream Value Chain,” organised jointly by NCDMB, the African Union, AU, and the Petroleum Commission Ghana.

Delivering the opening remarks on the theme “From Resource Ownership to Industrial Power,” NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said Africa must move beyond simply owning resources.

Represented by Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Director, Corporate Services, NCDMB, Ogbe stressed that the continent must focus on building sustainable industrial capacity, creating greater value from natural resources, and positioning African businesses to compete globally.

“Local content frameworks must promote the development and utilization of African cross border capacities for the industrialization of Africa,” Halilu told delegates at the packed session.

He outlined the local content value proposition to include research and technology development, local employment, strategic partnerships, ownership and control of assets, supply chain optimization, sustainable operations, increased production of locally made goods, and contributions to GDP.

NCDMB officials featured prominently across several strategic sessions during the programme. Mr. Ajimijaye Omomehin, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, joined discussions on “Harmonising and Standardising Technology and Policy: Driving Change through the Brazzaville Accord.”

Omomehin emphasized the need for policy and technology alignment across African countries to drive regional energy development and avoid fragmented markets.

Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, General Manager, Corporate Communications, moderated the session on “Market Entry Insights: Unlocking Africa’s Most Compelling Upstream Opportunities,” while Dr. Halilu served as a panelist on strategies to accelerate investment in Africa’s upstream oil and gas sector.

The panel agreed that strong local content policies can attract investments and lower the cost of operations, but only if African oil-producing nations ensure regulatory stability and investor-friendly environments.

In another session on “Unlocking Capital for African Content Growth,” Mr. Erefagha Turner, Assistant Manager, Planning, Research and Statistics, highlighted financing as a critical gap. He described the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, NCI Fund, as a successful model that has helped indigenous service companies grow capacity.

Engr. Dokubo Obongo, Manager, Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building, contributed to “Investing in Talent: Building Africa’s Energy Workforce,” stressing that skills development and human capital investment are non-negotiable for a globally competitive African energy workforce.

Mr. Omomehin also spoke on “Building Regional Oil & Gas Industrial Hubs,” adding to conversations on how clustering infrastructure and services can drive efficiency and competitiveness across borders.

NCDMB said its active participation at AOW 2026 reflects its commitment to advancing local content development, strengthening African capacity, and promoting collaboration toward an integrated, competitive and sustainable energy industry across the continent.

Reported by NOP NIGERIA from Africa Oil Week 2026, Accra