Nigeria and Ghana are deepening cooperation in the oil and gas sector as Ghana’s national oil company begins a benchmarking exercise to study Nigeria’s local content development framework and strategies for increasing indigenous participation in the petroleum industry.
A delegation from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), led by Director of Corporate Affairs Eric Pwadura, visited the headquarters of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for a week-long knowledge exchange programme focused on building local capacity and expanding opportunities for domestic companies.
The engagement is aimed at helping Ghana gain insights into Nigeria’s approach to developing local expertise, increasing domestic ownership and ensuring that more value from oil and gas activities remains within the economy.
Receiving the Ghanaian delegation, NCDMB Executive Secretary Felix Omatsola Ogbe said African oil-producing countries must prioritise local content development to reduce dependence on foreign technology, skills and expertise in exploration, field development and production.
Ogbe said Africa’s significant hydrocarbon resources provide an opportunity for producing countries to create stronger domestic industries and generate greater economic benefits from their natural resources.
The continent holds more than 120 billion barrels of crude oil reserves and about 800 trillion standard cubic feet of natural gas, he said, stressing that these resources can support economic transformation if local industries are developed.
Represented by NCDMB Director of Corporate Services Abdulmalik Halilu, Ogbe described crude oil as a potential driver of economic growth, adding that Africa’s young population provides a foundation for developing skilled workers for the energy sector.
“Local content does not compromise standards. It does not mean African standards or foreign standards — it is one global standard,” Ogbe said, emphasising that greater local participation should go hand in hand with maintaining international industry standards.
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He explained that Nigeria’s local content programme had evolved from an earlier policy initiative under the former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation into a specialised institutional framework focused on creating value within the oil and gas sector.
The NCDMB highlighted its Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap, which focuses on strengthening technical capabilities, improving compliance and enforcement, supporting businesses, expanding markets and building institutional capacity.
A major part of Nigeria’s strategy is the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund), which provides financing support to indigenous oil and gas companies through development finance institutions including the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM).
The fund has helped local firms acquire assets, improve operational capacity and compete more effectively in the petroleum industry, the board said.
NCDMB Assistant Manager for Strategy and Transformational Projects Zuwairat Asekome said implementation of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act of 2010 had significantly increased domestic participation.
She said local content in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector had risen to about 61 percent, reflecting increased involvement of Nigerian companies and professionals in industry activities.
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The GNPC delegation welcomed Nigeria’s experience, saying Ghana was seeking a deeper understanding of the structures, policies and institutions that have supported the country’s progress.
“Even though we have legislation guiding local content, we have not had the benefit of having a robust local content environment like you have,” Pwadura said.
The cooperation comes as African oil-producing countries seek ways to retain more economic value from their natural resources, create jobs and reduce reliance on external expertise.
The NCDMB said it remains committed to sharing its experience with other African countries and has existing partnerships with energy institutions in Ghana, Senegal, Mozambique, Angola and Namibia.
Officials said the exchange between Nigeria and Ghana represents a broader continental effort to strengthen energy value chains and ensure that Africa’s natural resources contribute more directly to economic development.
The collaboration is expected to support both countries’ ambitions to build stronger domestic oil and gas industries while preparing local companies and workers to play a bigger role in the future of the energy sector.
