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Nigeria targets deeper local content as investment rises - PUNCH
Nigeria’s local content drive is entering a new phase as upstream investment rises, local operators take over divested assets and the country moves towards its 70 per cent local content target.
The current Nigerian Content Strategic Roadmap, which runs from 2017 to 2027, has achieved 61 per cent local content, according to the organisers of the Practical Nigerian Content Forum.
The development has brought renewed attention to the capacity gaps and priorities that will shape Nigerian Content implementation beyond 2027.
The next phase will be discussed at the 15th edition of the Practical Nigerian Content Forum, scheduled to be held from November 30 to December 3, 2026, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The forum, organised by dmg Nigeria events in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, will bring together government, regulators, operators and indigenous businesses to discuss priorities for Nigerian Content implementation beyond the current roadmap.
Speaking on the theme of the forum, “Defining Strategic Priorities for the Next Decade of Nigerian Content Implementation,” Portfolio & Country Director, dmg Nigeria events, Wemimo Oyelana, said in a statement on Monday that the industry needed to shift its focus towards the requirements of the next phase.
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“Fifteen years of Nigerian Content implementation have demonstrated what sustained policy, regulatory commitment and industry collaboration can achieve. As the current Roadmap approaches its conclusion, the conversation must now move beyond measuring progress to defining what the next decade requires. PNC 2026 provides a platform for stakeholders to collectively shape those priorities, from funding and project delivery to the policy frameworks needed to sustain and deepen this progress,” he said.
The forum will focus on four areas: mobilising capital, project opportunities, advancing Nigerian Content, and policy and legislation.
Discussions will examine access to capital, financial partnerships and financing solutions that can enable indigenous companies to compete, scale and deliver more complex projects.
Stakeholders will also examine procurement strategies, supplier development initiatives and other measures aimed at expanding commercial opportunities across the energy value chain.
The forum will also consider policies, investment priorities and strategies required to advance local content, strengthen competitiveness, close capacity gaps and accelerate industrialisation.
Discussions on policy and legislation will focus on how regulatory frameworks can respond to emerging opportunities, changing market conditions, technological developments and investor expectations while supporting investment, compliance and growth in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The forum will feature five formats, including Strategic Leadership Panels, Executive Debates, a Town Hall session, Breakout Sessions and a Local Content Impact Stage.
Strategic Leadership Panels will bring together CEOs, government leaders and decision-makers to discuss policies, investments and partnerships shaping Nigeria’s energy value chain.
Executive Debates will feature senior industry leaders discussing critical issues and different perspectives, while the Town Hall session will provide a forum for government, regulators and industry stakeholders to address challenges and review progress on policy and compliance.
Breakout Sessions will focus on sector-specific issues, while the Local Content Impact Stage will provide a platform for major announcements, MoU signings, and partnerships.
Speakers and participants include Felix Ogbe, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board; Elohor Aiboni, EVP & Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria; Matthieu Bouyer, Country Chairman & MD, TotalEnergies Nigeria; Jim Swartz, Chairman & MD, Chevron Nigeria Mid-Africa Business Unit; Jagir Baxi, Chairman & MD, ExxonMobil Affiliates in Nigeria; Wole Ogunsanya, Chairman, PETAN; Chris Osarumwense, President, Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria; and senior NCDMB directors.
The forum comes as upstream investment in Nigeria rises, with major projects including Shell’s $2bn HI Field and the $5bn Bonga North project, while local operators continue to take over divested assets.
The organisers said other African countries are also looking to replicate Nigeria’s local content experience. As Nigeria’s local content roadmap approaches its conclusion, PNC 2026 will focus on the priorities, partnerships and policy direction that will shape the next decade of implementation.
