African Oil-Producing Nations Urged to Deepen Collaboration for Sustainable Industry Growth – NCDMB ES

Close collaboration among African oil and gas-producing countries has been identified as a key pathway to unlocking the full potential of the continent’s energy industry. This call was made at the Africa Content Forum, a special session of the 2025 Africa Oil Week held in Accra, Ghana.

Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, emphasized that no single African nation can independently develop its local content aspirations without strategic cooperation with others. Represented by the Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Ogbe stressed that regional partnerships are critical to achieving sustainable growth in the oil and gas sector.

According to him, Africa accounts for more than 10 percent of global crude oil reserves and 8 percent of proven natural gas resources, while also possessing abundant renewable energy potential. He lamented the paradox of African countries exporting raw resources to developed nations while intra-continental trade remains weak.

“Africa’s oil and gas wealth must be harnessed to drive intra-African trade, industrialization, and prosperity,” Halilu stated, calling for robust policy frameworks supported by governance structures, enforcement mechanisms, human capital development, and cross-border deployment of skills.

He further urged African nations to prioritize technology development, noting that local content policies without investments in research and innovation would remain stagnant. Using the global aviation industry as an example, he explained that Africa could replicate the model of international collaboration where countries specialize in different areas and trade expertise.

“Just as a Boeing or Airbus is built with components from different countries, we can build a thriving African energy sector by specializing and trading with one another, leveraging our comparative advantages,” he said.

Halilu also challenged policymakers and industry stakeholders to change the perception of local content from being merely a social responsibility initiative to an economic imperative. He argued that capital must remain within the continent to develop industrial and technological capacity capable of competing globally.

“Let us build an African energy sector that is owned, operated, and sustained by Africans—a sector that creates jobs for our youth, generates wealth for our nations, and delivers prosperity to our continent,” he added.

The forum featured four panel sessions attended by policymakers, oil and gas operators, service companies, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

• Session One explored strategies for African content growth. Panelists stressed deliberate planning, bold policy choices, and the adoption of African-led solutions.
• Session Two examined capacity building and expertise, highlighting the need to harness indigenous talent.
• Session Three focused on cross-border projects and knowledge exchange, with panelists underscoring the importance of partnerships and breaking silos to accelerate growth.
• Session Four, moderated by NCDMB’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, addressed funding African content. Discussions centered on innovative financing mechanisms, compliance with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, and decarbonization strategies for oil and gas firms.

The Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) model was also showcased as a successful example of how targeted funding can boost capacity and capability in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.