The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has identified the Dangote 650,000-barrel-per-day Integrated Refinery and Petrochemical Company as a catalyst for fostering energy partnerships across Nigeria and the African continent.
Speaking at the 9th Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) in Lagos, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, emphasized the potential of the refinery to enhance petroleum product and fertilizer supply across Africa through strategic collaborations.
Ogbe spotlighted other landmark projects capable of driving regional cooperation, including Kenya’s Konza Technology City, the Grand Ethiopian Dam, the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos, and the SHI-MCI FPSO Fabrication/Integration Yard, also in Lagos.
He highlighted the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGAPS), currently under development in seven locations across Nigeria, as an avenue for investors and entrepreneurs interested in manufacturing industry-related equipment, components, and spares.
Ogbe further underscored the significance of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as a vital legal framework for promoting local content development across Africa. He noted that AfCFTA’s integration of 1.3 billion people across 54 countries with a combined GDP of over $3 trillion presents an unparalleled opportunity for collaborative growth in the oil and gas sector.
He urged sub-Saharan African nations to stay aligned with global trends in the oil and gas industry by adopting a unified approach to strengthen local content development, drive industrialization, and foster sustainable economic growth across the continent.
While acknowledging the progress made by countries like Nigeria, Angola, and Ghana in boosting indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector, Ogbe lamented that fragmented implementation continued to hinder collective advancement. He called for a collaborative strategy among petroleum-producing nations in sub-Saharan Africa to share best practices and enhance cross-border partnerships, ultimately driving competitiveness for indigenous players in the industry.
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