SAIPEC 2026: Ogbe Pushes Africa-Wide Local Content Collaboration, Rallies Support for Africa Energy Bank

 The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has called for deeper continental collaboration to accelerate local content development across Africa’s oil and gas industry, stressing that partnership remains the most sustainable pathway to the sector’s long-term growth.

Ogbe made this call in his keynote address at the 10th anniversary edition of the Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC 2026), held from February 10 to 12 at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos. The conference, themed “Celebrating a Decade of Energy, Oil, and Gas Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa,” brought together policymakers, industry executives, investors, and development partners from across the continent and beyond.

Speaking to a high-level audience, the NCDMB chief said lessons from previous SAIPEC engagements—particularly the 2025 edition—underscore that Africa’s local content journey remains a work in progress that must be driven by coordinated action rather than isolated national strategies. He noted that collaboration among governments, private sector operators, and host communities has consistently proven to be the foundation for sustainable local content success.

NCDMB boss highlighted Nigeria’s structured approach to local content implementation, explaining that the country first prioritised indigenous participation, followed by capacity development, and is now strengthening regulatory safeguards. These include policies that prohibit the transfer of certifications to intermediaries, a move designed to ensure that only technically competent and capable contractors execute energy projects, thereby improving quality, transparency, and industry performance.

At the continental level, he urged African nations to leverage the Brazzaville Accord as a framework for regulatory harmonisation, sectoral cooperation, and the promotion of an Afro-centric local content model. According to him, aligning regulatory systems and reducing operational bottlenecks will enhance project competitiveness and position Africa to attract larger volumes of global investment.

A central highlight of the keynote was Ogbe’s strong endorsement of the proposed Africa Energy Bank, an initiative of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) in partnership with Afreximbank. He described the bank as a strategic financing platform intended to mobilise capital for African energy projects, expand access to affordable funding, strengthen indigenous companies, and deepen technical capacity across the continent.

He called on governments, regulators, investors, and industry stakeholders to support the bank’s establishment and operational rollout, emphasising that sustainable financing is critical to unlocking Africa’s full energy potential.

Ogbe concluded by reiterating that the future of Africa’s energy sector depends on shared vision, cross-border cooperation, and inclusive local content strategies capable of driving innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable economic growth in a rapidly evolving global energy landscape.

At SAIPEC 2026 in Lagos, NCDMB Executive Secretary Felix Ogbe urges stronger continental collaboration on local content and rallies support for the proposed Africa Energy Bank to drive sustainable energy growth.