ES Keynote Address at the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC 2026)
Protocols
- Your Excellencies, distinguished industry leaders, captains of the energy industry, policy makers, partners from across Africa and the global community.
- It is an honour to speak at this SAIPEC 2026 conference and to join in the celebrations of SAIPEC’s 10 Year anniversary – very Hearty Congratulations!
- We are all here today, as part of a collective effort to shape Africa’s energy future. The topic at hand, “Africa’s Local Content Collaboration Strategy” clearly reflects that desire.
- The insights from the SAIPEC 2025 conference shows that the journey towards fostering local content in Africa’s energy sector is a work in progress. Oneself evident lesson from those insights is the realization that for Africa, collaboration is and must remain a cornerstone of our strategies. Our efforts cannot be siloed; they must be collective to ensure, not only real progress, but, consolidation of our collective efforts.
- Collaboration between governments, private sector players, and local communities continues to demonstrate itself as bedrock upon which we must build successful local content strategies.
- In Nigeria, our local content strategy has been deliberate and systematic. First, we focused on deepening indigenous participation, then capacity building and now policies and guidelines that prohibit the transfer of certification to intermediaries. This approach is aimed at ensuring that the Board works with very competent, and capable contractors – this will now be a critical criterion in technical tenders.
- At the continental level, our drive for Africa must be anchored on collaboration. We must collectively leverage the Brazzaville Accord to promote regulatory harmonization, sectoral cooperation, and an Afro-centric approach to local content development. By aligning our frameworks and minimizing bottlenecks, we can make our projects more competitive and economically viable to enable us to compete for funds globally.
- In this regard, the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank under the APPO, in partnership with Afreximbank, represents a strategic milestone. The Bank is designed to mobilize capital for African energy projects, provide access to more affordable financing, strengthen industry players, and boost capacity across the continent.
- I therefore urge all stakeholders, governments, regulators, investors, and industry leaders, to actively support the realization and operational success of the Africa Energy Bank as we work to unlock sustainable growth across Africa’s energy sector.
- In conclusion, I cannot overemphasize the fact that the path forward for the African Energy Sector, requires collaboration and shared vision. By working together, across borders, industries, and sectors, we will be able to craft a robust, all-inclusive, and sustainable local content strategies that propels Africa’s energy sector to new and greater heights in a rapidly changing World.
Thank you.
ENGR. FELIX OMATSOLA OGBE FNSE,
Executive Secretary, NCDMB.
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