The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Nigerian content, deepening indigenous participation, and sustaining future-ready investments across the nation’s energy landscape.
The declaration came as the Board was honoured for its sustained efforts in building indigenous capacity within the Nigerian oil and gas sector. It bagged the Local Content Champion of the Year Award at the 2025 Annual Energy Conference of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday.
Representing the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, received the award and delivered the Board’s goodwill message at the event. He commended NAEC for providing a credible platform that has consistently enriched national energy discourse and strengthened public understanding of Nigeria’s energy policies.
“NCDMB has been a close friend and partner of NAEC since its establishment in 2010 under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act,” he said. “Our achievements over the years have been enabled by the strong communication support of the media. Section 67 of the NOGICD Act mandates us to promote Nigerian content, and communication—both above and below the line—is central to achieving that goal.”
He reaffirmed the Board’s resolve to continue partnership with NAEC and the broader media community to expand public awareness and enhance the impact of local content implementation across the oil, gas and emerging energy sectors.
Speaking on the Board’s strategic focus, the representative of the ES highlighted several initiatives to strengthen industry competitiveness and promote sustainable energy transition.
“About 60 per cent of NCDMB’s investments are in the gas value chain,” he revealed. “We have streamlined the Nigerian contracting cycle from nine to five touchpoints, in line with presidential directives to enhance efficiency. We have also disbursed the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund to empower indigenous firms and the remodeled the Community Contractors Fund to benefit host community contractors.”
He added that the interventions reflect the Board’s commitment to ensuring Nigerian companies remain resilient and globally competitive as the energy landscape evolves.
“We will continue to cooperate with NAEC, support its programmes and sustain partnerships that advance the national energy conversation. The NCDMB remains one of the strongest allies of the Nigerian media,” he assured.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of NAEC, Mr Ugo Amadi, described the association as a strategic platform for energy communication and policy dialogue, reinforcing transparency and investor confidence.
“The theme of this year’s conference, ‘Nigeria’s Energy Future: Optimising Opportunities and Addressing Risks for Sustainable Growth’, reflects our collective responsibility to address bottlenecks that hinder the nation’s full resource potential,” Amadi stated.
Chairman of the 2025 NAEC Energy Conference, the President of Masters Energy Group and former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, called for pragmatic reforms and sustained policy consistency to drive Nigeria’s energy transition.
Ogah acknowledged the transformative potential of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021 and the Electricity Act of 2023, noting that successful implementation would require deliberate coordination across government and industry.
“Nigeria’s energy future is not a choice between opportunity and risk; it is a challenge to navigate both dynamics together,” he said. “Success demands a multi-pronged strategy that leverages our strengths while confronting our vulnerabilities head-on.”
The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, represented by the Commission’s Lagos Office Director, Paul Osu, disclosed that deliberate reforms anchored on transparency and technology are driving a major rebound in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
He stated that the Commission reprocessed over 17,000 kilometres of 2D and 28,000 square kilometres of 3D seismic data, unlocking fresh exploration opportunities. He also highlighted the introduction of a digital licensing regime, under President Bola Tinubu which cut signature bonuses from $100m to $10m, attracting fresh investments and reducing approval timelines.
“The rebound in Nigeria’s upstream is no accident; it’s a product of deliberate design anchored on transparency, efficiency, and inclusiveness,” Komolafe said.
Similarly, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, represented by George Ene-Ita, reaffirmed that gas remains the backbone of Nigeria’s transition plan, citing proven reserves of 210.54tn cubic feet and declining flaring rates of 7.16 per cent, the lowest in years.
Industry operators also shared updates and perspectives on their contributions to sustainable energy growth.
SEEPCO’s Chief General Manager, Dr. Chris Offokansi, said over 90 per cent of the company’s fleet runs on natural gas, resulting in a 25 per cent emissions reduction, alongside tree-planting and waste management initiatives across host communities.
Oriental Energy Resources Limited’s Head of External Affairs, Kazim Koleoso, on behalf of the Managing Director, Mustafa Indimi, announced progress towards zero-flare operations and revealed that the company achieved 3.35m man-hours without a Lost Time Incident. He added that its new EMEM FPSO would commence production in Q1 2026, contributing to Nigeria’s target of an additional one million barrels per day.
First E&P’s Head of Corporate Communications, Tomiwa Akande-Ayeni, disclosed that its joint venture with Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited produces 57,000 barrels per day, reaffirming commitment to responsible upstream operations and gas development.
Chevron Nigeria Limited’s Communications Manager, Victor Anyaegbudike, reaffirmed the company’s support for local content, disclosing that “Chevron awards over $1bn yearly to Nigerian firms and has reduced gas flaring by 97 per cent.” He also highlighted the company’s journalism capacity-building initiatives, which trained over 400 journalists since 2014.
