The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, says Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is witnessing stronger investor confidence, renewed optimism, strategic reforms, policy clarity and deliberate efforts aimed at repositioning the economy for sustainable growth and development.

Ogbe stated that under the current administration, significant efforts have been made to attract investments, improve competitiveness, unlock dormant opportunities and create an environment where businesses can thrive.

The NCDMB boss disclosed this to industry operators, including policymakers, regulators, operators, investors, financiers, contractors, service providers, manufacturers and technology providers, during the 2026 Nigerian Oil and Gas Midstream and Downstream Stakeholders Summit held in Lagos.

The summit was themed, “Unlocking, Growing and Sustaining Nigerian Content Development in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Midstream and Downstream Sectors.”

Ogbe pointed out that reforms in the sector have been yielding positive outcomes across the energy value chain while positioning Nigeria as one of the most attractive destinations for oil and gas investments on the African continent.

Addressing stakeholders, Ogbe said: “Your presence here today is not only appreciated, but it also reflects our shared commitment to advancing Nigerian Content, promoting industrial growth, strengthening investments, creating sustainable jobs and building a stronger, more resilient energy sector for our nation.

“As many of you already know, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board was established pursuant to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, with a clear mandate to deepen indigenous participation, build in-country capacity, create employment opportunities, develop technical competence, promote technology transfer and ensure that the enormous value generated from our hydrocarbon resources translates into real economic benefits for Nigerians.

“Our journey in Nigerian Content development has been progressive and deliberate across the entire oil and gas value chain.”

In the upstream sector, he said the NCDMB and stakeholders had collectively recorded significant milestones in exploration, production, drilling services, fabrication, engineering, marine operations, project management and indigenous asset ownership.

“Nigerian companies today are not just participants but major contributors to some of the most complex upstream projects in our industry, delivering quality value with competence and professionalism.

“In the midstream sector, we are now witnessing tremendous opportunities in gas gathering, gas processing, compression, transportation, storage infrastructure, pipelines, LPG and CNG distribution, and related industrial infrastructure,” he said.

As Nigeria continues to deepen its gas-based industrialisation agenda, the executive secretary said the midstream sector presents enormous opportunities for investment, technology deployment, local manufacturing and capacity development.

In the downstream sector, he said the board has continued to witness growing opportunities in refining, product distribution, retail operations, depot infrastructure, lubricants, petrochemical products, logistics, supply chain optimisation and domestic energy accessibility.

According to him, the segment remains one of the strongest drivers of employment creation, SME participation, local enterprise development and direct economic impact on everyday Nigerians.

Ogbe said: “As a board, our vision is not limited to one segment of the industry. Our vision is to ensure that Nigerian content is fully embedded across the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors, creating an integrated ecosystem where Nigerian businesses, Nigerian professionals and Nigerian communities can prosper sustainably.

“For many years, Nigeria was largely known as a producer and exporter of crude oil while depending heavily on imported refined petroleum products and industrial feedstock. Today, that narrative is changing, and changing significantly.”

This transformation, he said, is being driven by bold government reforms, private sector confidence, improved regulatory clarity and the growing capacity of indigenous institutions and businesses to deliver large-scale projects.

“One of the most notable achievements in this regard is the emergence of world-class refining infrastructure within our country, particularly the Dangote Refinery, which stands today as one of the largest single-train refineries in the world and a major symbol of Nigeria’s industrial ambition, resilience and capacity for self-sufficiency.”

In addition to large-scale refining investments, he said Nigerians are also witnessing encouraging progress in the development of modular refineries across different parts of the country, creating opportunities for indigenous participation, technology transfer, local manufacturing, employment generation and improved domestic supply security.

Ogbe said: “We are equally seeing major progress in gas commercialisation, LPG penetration, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) deployment, petrochemical expansion, fertiliser production and associated industrial developments that are creating value beyond crude oil exports.

“Projects such as NLNG Train 7, ongoing gas infrastructure expansion programmes, domestic gas utilisation initiatives, the Federal Government’s Presidential Initiative on CNG, and several indigenous processing and infrastructure projects are clear evidence that Nigeria is not only producing energy resources, but increasingly processing, adding value, industrialising and exporting finished and semi-finished energy products to regional and international markets.

“However, as we continue to deepen Nigerian Content, it has become increasingly clear that the next major frontier for sustainable economic growth, industrial expansion, employment generation and national competitiveness lies significantly within the midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.”

This realisation, he said, informed the strategic focus of the summit, describing the forum as “not just another industry gathering, not merely a compliance event, not simply a networking platform, but a strategic engagement” designed to bring together policymakers, regulators, operators, investors, financiers, contractors, service providers, manufacturers, technology providers and other key stakeholders to collectively chart a practical and sustainable path for Nigerian Content development within the midstream and downstream sectors.

“As a board, we fully understand our responsibility under the law to drive compliance. Compliance remains central to our mandate. Compliance remains non-negotiable. Compliance remains the foundation upon which Nigerian Content is built.

“We also recognise that compliance must be practical, implementable, support business growth, encourage investment, create value and solve real problems. And this is why we are here,” Ogbe said.

NCDMB’s Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Esueme Dan Kikile, said the summit came at a very important time in Nigeria’s energy journey as the board continues to deepen Nigerian Content implementation and unlock greater opportunities across the midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

He said the theme reflected the collective commitment to strengthening indigenous participation, promoting local capacity development, encouraging investment and ensuring sustainable economic growth for the nation.

The platform, he said, would foster meaningful engagement among regulators, operators, investors, service providers, financial institutions, policymakers and other critical stakeholders.

He added: “We are confident that the discussions, technical sessions and strategic collaborations from this summit will generate practical solutions and actionable outcomes that will further enhance the growth and competitiveness of local capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.”

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