.as BOARD opens 2026 summit to drive local capacity and investment
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has set its sights on the midstream and downstream sectors as the next frontier for job creation, industrial growth, and local value retention in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Speaking at the 2026 Nigerian Oil and Gas Midstream and Downstream Summit in Lagos, , NCDMB Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe said the shift is necessary as reforms, investor confidence, and large-scale projects reshape the sector.
Ogbe was represented by Engr. Austin Uzoka , Acting Director of the Project Certification and Authorization Directorate (PCAD) and the Special Technical Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board
According to him “This summit is not just another industry gathering. It is a strategic engagement designed to bring together policymakers, regulators, operators, investors, financiers, contractors, service providers, manufacturers, technology providers, and other key stakeholders to collectively chart a practical and sustainable path for Nigerian Content development within the midstream and downstream sectors,”
The two-day summit, themed Unlocking, Growing and Sustaining Nigerian Content Development in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Midstream and Downstream Sectors, comes as Nigeria moves away from its traditional role as a crude exporter reliant on imported refined products.
Ogbe said the narrative is changing due to bold government reforms, regulatory clarity, and growing capacity of indigenous firms. He pointed to the Dangote Refinery as a symbol of that shift, calling it “one of the largest single-train refineries in the world and a major symbol of Nigeria’s industrial ambition, resilience, and capacity for self-sufficiency.”
He added that modular refineries, gas commercialization, LPG and CNG deployment, petrochemical and fertilizer projects are creating opportunities for local manufacturing, technology transfer, and employment.
Projects such as NLNG Train 7, domestic gas utilization programs, and the Presidential Initiative on CNG are driving Nigeria toward processing and exporting finished and semi-finished energy products.In the upstream sector, Ogbe said Nigerian companies have moved from participants to major contributors in exploration, drilling, fabrication, engineering, and project management. But he stressed that the midstream and downstream segments now hold the greatest potential for sustainable growth.
“The midstream sector presents enormous opportunities for investment, technology deployment, local manufacturing, and capacity development” in gas gathering, processing, compression, transportation, storage, pipelines, LPG, and CNG distribution, he said. Downstream, he noted growing openings in refining, product distribution, retail, depot infrastructure, lubricants, petrochemicals, logistics, and supply chain optimization.
“This segment remains one of the strongest drivers of employment creation, SME participation, local enterprise development, and direct economic impact on everyday Nigerians.”Ogbe reaffirmed NCDMB’s mandate under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act of 2010 to deepen indigenous participation, build capacity, and ensure hydrocarbon value translates into economic benefits for Nigerians. “Compliance remains central to our mandate. Compliance remains non-negotiable. Compliance remains the foundation upon which Nigerian Content is built,” he said.
But he emphasized that compliance must be practical and support business growth. “Compliance must be implementable. Compliance must support business growth. Compliance must encourage investment. Compliance must create value. Compliance must solve real problems.
And this is why we are here today.”The NCDMB’s vision, he said, is to embed Nigerian Content across the entire value chain to create an integrated ecosystem where Nigerian businesses, professionals, and communities prosper sustainably.
Earlier in his welcome address, , NCDMB Director of Monitoring and Evaluation Esueme Dan Kikile called on regulators, investors, and operators to turn policy into practical solutions that expand Nigerian participation in the oil and gas value chain.
He said the summit arrives at a critical moment as Nigeria deepens Nigerian Content implementation across the midstream and downstream sectors.
“This summit comes at a very important time in Nigeria’s energy journey as we continue to deepen Nigerian Content implementation and unlock greater opportunities across the midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry,” Kikile told delegates at Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
Kikile said the theme reflects a collective commitment to strengthening indigenous participation, building local capacity, encouraging investment, and driving sustainable economic growth.
Over the next two days, the platform will bring together regulators, operators, investors, service providers, financial institutions, and policymakers for technical sessions and strategic collaborations. “We are confident that the discussions, technical sessions, and strategic collaborations from this summit will generate practical solutions and actionable outcomes that will further enhance the growth and competitiveness of local capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry,” he said.
He reiterated NCDMB’s mandate to advance policies and programs that retain value in-country, create jobs for Nigerians, strengthen local manufacturing and service capabilities, and deepen partnerships across the industry. The summit will also unveil initiatives aimed at improving compliance, governance, operational efficiency, and sustainable development in the midstream and downstream segments.
Kikile thanked sponsors, partners, speakers, moderators, panelists, delegates, and organizing committees for their contributions. “As we commence this summit, I encourage all participants to actively engage, share knowledge, build valuable collaborations, and contribute meaningfully toward achieving the objectives of this important industry gathering,” he said.
The summit is expected to focus on gas processing, LPG and CNG infrastructure, refining, product distribution, and opportunities for SMEs and local manufacturers as Nigeria pushes to reduce import dependence and expand domestic energy supply.
The summit runs May 19-20 at Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos, bringing together government, regulators, investors, and service providers to shape policy and investment pathways for the midstream and downstream sectors.
