Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has increased local participation from less than five per cent before the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act in 2010 to more than 61 per cent, with the growth linked to over $20 billion in in-country investment.

The milestone will shape discussions at the Nigerian Content Seminar, which opens the 25th edition of NOG Energy Week in Abuja on July 6.

The seminar, themed ‘Shaping the Next Phase of Local Content Growth,’ will focus on how the industry can sustain the gains recorded over the years.

Organisers said the industry has moved beyond increasing Nigerian participation in contracts and must now strengthen local engineering, manufacturing and operational capacity to reduce dependence on imported technology and foreign expertise.

The conversation comes as Nigeria prepares for a new wave of upstream investments, particularly in offshore projects. Recent final investment decisions, including Shell’s $2 billion HI Field and the $5 billion Bonga North deepwater project, are expected to test how quickly indigenous companies can expand their capabilities in fabrication, marine services and project delivery.

The seminar will also examine challenges identified by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), especially technical skill gaps that still require expatriate workers in some specialised roles.

Following a review of expatriate quota applications with industry stakeholders, the Board has launched a programme to train more than 10,000 Nigerians.

Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the initiative would “equip young Nigerians with practical, field-ready skills to ensure they can take part in the new wave of oil and gas projects and reduce overreliance on expatriate expertise.”

The Board is also promoting its Equipment Components Manufacturing Initiative to encourage local production of machinery and equipment that are still largely imported.

Beyond Nigeria, participants are expected to discuss how African oil-producing countries can better align their local content policies to retain more value from the continent’s natural resources. Organisers noted that Nigeria’s framework has become a reference point for countries such as Ghana.

Portfolio and Country Director, dmg Nigeria events, Wemimo Oyelana, said the debate had progressed beyond measuring local content by percentage alone.

The Nigerian Content Seminar will open the five-day NOG Energy Week, which is expected to bring together about 7,500 participants, including delegates, exhibitors and speakers from 85 countries to discuss issues across the energy value chain.