The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with the Republic of Congo, particularly in the area of Local Content development in the oil and gas sector.
Lokpobiri gave the assurance while welcoming a Congolese delegation to his office in Abuja.
The Minister said Nigeria is willing to share its experience and lessons from the implementation of its Local Content policy with its “brother country,” Congo.
He explained that Nigeria’s Local Content journey began over 15 years ago with the development of a legal framework that established a structured approach to increasing indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry.
According to him, the policy has led to the emergence and expansion of Nigerian companies capable of providing services that were previously dominated by foreign firms.
“Indigenous companies now play significant roles across the industry and have developed the capacity to work alongside international oil companies and other global service providers,” he said.
Lokpobiri highlighted the role of Local Content in strengthening indigenous businesses and retaining value within the Nigerian economy.
“It is my belief that the solution to solving Africa’s energy problems lies more on Africa,” he stated.
The Minister expressed confidence that Congo can build its own Local Content capacity by adapting relevant lessons from Nigeria’s experience to its national circumstances.
“If Nigeria can do it, I believe Congo can do it as well,” he said.
He further noted that while foreign service companies once dominated significant areas of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, the Local Content policy has created a new generation of indigenous companies capable of providing specialised services and competing effectively within the industry.
He added that these Nigerian companies now coexist and collaborate with international companies across different segments of the petroleum value chain, noting that the divestment of some international oil companies has also created opportunities for indigenous firms to acquire assets and infrastructure.
Senator Lokpobiri also explained the financing structure of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), stating that its operations are funded through a statutory one per cent contribution from contracts in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, rather than direct annual government funding.
He said the model provides a sustainable funding mechanism for the Board to deliver on its mandate of developing indigenous capacity and promoting Local Content in the petroleum industry.
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo, H.E. Stève Simplice Onanga, who led a high-powered delegation from the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and other senior government officials to Abuja, Nigeria, said the visit was part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between Nigeria and the Republic of Congo in the oil and gas sector.
Onanga further said the visit was also aimed at enabling the Congolese delegation to understudy Nigeria’s experience in developing and implementing its Local Content framework, with particular emphasis on how the policy has facilitated the growth of indigenous companies, enhanced local participation in the petroleum industry, created employment opportunities and retained greater value within the Nigerian economy.
H.E. Stève Simplice Onanga expressed appreciation for the opportunity to learn from Nigeria’s experience.
He said the delegation was in Nigeria because of the progress the country has made over the years in implementing its Local Content policy. “It is a great pleasure for us to be here. Our visit is based on the experience you have had over the years, and we are here to understudy your Local Content policy.”
According to him, the primary objective of the visit is to gain practical knowledge that can support the improvement of Local Content implementation in the Republic of Congo.
He noted that Congo is particularly interested in developing a Local Content framework that will ensure that the country’s oil and gas resources translate into greater opportunities and benefits for Congolese citizens
“The objective is mainly on Local Content and improving our own Local Content policies in the Republic of Congo. We really wish to develop our Local Content for the benefit of the Congolese people.”
