The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has intensified its drive to attract Chinese investment, technology and manufacturing capacity into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, engaging more than 100 Chinese Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Chengdu, China.
The engagement formed part of the Board’s and oil industry’s participation in the 15th China Shale Oil and Gas Summit, convened from 20 to 23 September 2026 at the Chengdu Century City International Conference Centre. The summit, themed “Empowering Efficient and Green Development via Intelligent Technologies, Innovating to Lead the Shale Oil and Gas Revolution,” provided a platform for NCDMB and representatives of key groups in the oil industry to showcase Nigeria’s local content framework and investment opportunities in manufacturing, technology and broader oil and gas services.
Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Director, Project Certification and Authorization Division (PCAD) and Senior Technical Adviser to the Executive Secretary, Engr. Austin Uzoka, delivered a keynote address on the first day of the summit titled, “Nigeria’s Local Content Journey and Opportunities for Chinese Collaboration in Oil and Gas Equipment Manufacturing.” He explained that NCDMB was seeking to move the relationship between Nigerian oil and gas industry and Chinese manufacturers beyond the conventional buyer-seller model towards investment, manufacturing, technology transfer and stronger integration into global supply chains.
He assured that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Content Development (NOGICD) Act guarantees that any oil and gas equipment manufacturing facility that is established in the country will be patronised by the oil and gas industry, with further opportunities across the Gulf of Guinea.
“We are looking beyond the traditional buyer-seller relationship. What can we build together? We want Chinese companies to see Nigeria not simply as a market for their products, but as a strategic investment destination, a platform for manufacturing and technology development, and a gateway to opportunities across the wider African market,” he said.
The Executive Secretary highlighted the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS) as a platform for industrial investment, encouraging Chinese OEMs to establish manufacturing, assembly and service operations in Nigeria, with opportunities for technology transfer, technical arrangements and integration of Nigerian businesses into their supply chains.
He also identified China’s strength in manufacturing, engineering, technology and energy infrastructure as an opportunity to support Nigeria’s industrial development. “China has developed tremendous capabilities in manufacturing, engineering, technology and energy infrastructure. We want to explore how those capabilities can be connected with the opportunities that exist in Nigeria, for mutual benefits” he added. On Nigeria’s local content journey, Engr. Austin explained that the agenda had evolved from increasing Nigerian participation in oil and gas projects to a broader drive for industrial capacity, manufacturing, technology ownership and global competitiveness.
“Nigeria’s local content journey has evolved significantly since the Local Content Law was enacted in year 2010. What began primarily as an effort to increase Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry has developed into a broader industrial development agenda focused on building capabilities, deepening manufacturing, promoting technology ownership and positioning Nigerian businesses to compete within regional and global markets,” he observed.
The second day of the summit featured a Business-to-Business (B2B) session organised by the Board, which drew participation from more than 100 Chinese equipment manufacturers and Nigerian oil and gas industry stakeholders to explore opportunities in local manufacturing, supply-chain integration, investment, technology development and market access.
Representatives of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), led by Mr. Sylvester Ovunwese, participated alongside representatives of Project 100, including Mrs. Olateju Oyelakun of Encapsulate Nigeria Limited and Mr. Namdi Akudulu of Wider Energy. Renaissance African Energy Company was represented by its General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Engr. Olarenwaju Lanre Olawuyi, who made a presentation on behalf of the company and Oil Producing Trade Session (OPTS).
The session provided an opportunity for Nigerian companies to showcase their capabilities, while Chinese manufacturers explored prospects for market entry, local production and technical cooperation. Consequently, the engagement generated significant interest among participating Chinese OEMs, with several expressing willingness to explore business relationships with Nigerian companies and participate in Nigeria’s expanding oil and gas manufacturing ecosystem. In her closing remarks, the General Manager, Midstream, PCAD, Ms Lekoma Phimia expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the engagement and urged stakeholders to build on the connections established during the session to develop commercially viable and sustainable business relationships.
The Board’s participation also extended to the exhibition floor, where the NCDMB booth attracted visitors, industry players and prospective investors seeking information on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, local content opportunities and avenues for establishing business operations in the country.
The Chengdu programme reinforces NCDMB’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s international industrial connections and advancing the objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
By connecting Nigerian businesses with global manufacturers and technology providers, NCDMB is seeking to move the local content agenda from participation to capability, capability to manufacturing, and manufacturing to technology ownership and regional competitiveness.