The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has called for stronger Africa-wide collaboration to drive growth in the oil and gas sector. Speaking at the 2026 AfCFTA Summit in Yenagoa, Executive Secretary Felix Ogbe emphasized that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides an unprecedented opportunity to integrate regional trade, enhance innovation, and expand energy infrastructure across the continent.
Ogbe highlighted Nigeria’s alignment with AfCFTA since 2022, noting that the country’s oil and gas industry has built a robust framework based on three pillars: opportunities identification, capacity development, and capacity exportation. “Our domestic supply chains, refining capabilities, and skilled technical workforce position Nigeria as a central hub for Africa’s energy growth,” he said, pointing to the potential for collaboration with other nations.
Capacity development remains a key focus, with the local content law supporting skills and technology advancement across the value chain. From marine vessel ownership to the fabrication and installation of essential production systems, Nigeria is equipping its workforce to meet continental demands. The next frontier, Ogbe noted, is capacity exportation—sharing expertise and infrastructure across African borders to unlock collective growth.
At the summit, practical trade and compliance challenges were raised, including facilitating exports of Nigerian-made products to countries like Angola and Algeria and harmonizing work permits across the continent. Ogbe stressed that leveraging Africa’s 1.4 billion population and $3 trillion economy requires unified supply chains and strategic infrastructure investments, such as the Dangote Refinery and continental gas pipelines, to achieve energy security and industrial self-sufficiency.
The summit convened policymakers, investors, industry leaders, and academics to shape actionable strategies for AfCFTA implementation in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Ogbe expressed confidence in the outcome, stating that “the insights gathered here will help establish unified standards, promote technology innovation, and strengthen intra-Africa trade for a prosperous and self-reliant energy future
source: punch