Industry experts at the 2026 Nigerian Oil and Gas Midstream and Downstream Summit (NOGMDS) urged that the localisation gains achieved in upstream oil and gas be replicated across midstream and downstream operations to drive industrialisation, create jobs and support long-term economic growth.
The call came during the summit’s opening panel, organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
Panelists examined how the policies and institutional frameworks that boosted Nigerian participation in upstream activities could be extended across the energy value chain.
Moderated by Yemi Adetunji, business consultant and former Executive Vice President (Downstream) of NNPC Limited, the discussion highlighted a dramatic rise in Nigerian content in upstream activity - from 7% in 2010 to 61% in 2025 - with industry spending estimated at about $7.4 billion.
Adetunji attributed that progress to deliberate policy, coordinated institutions and steady implementation, but cautioned that upstream wealth has not yet translated into everyday improvements for many Nigerians.
“Upstream is where wealth is generated, but downstream is where Nigerians live,” he said, urging similar planning and institutional commitment for sectors that directly affect citizens.
Using the NLNG Train 7 project as a model, Project Director Ali Uwais outlined how targeted localisation delivered tangible results. He said the project logged more than 120 million man-hours and achieved 92% Nigerian content participation through broad industry engagement, structured Nigerian Content Plans and investments in local capacity.
Before work began, the NLNG and NCDMB ran nationwide workshops to map capable local fabricators and suppliers, he explained, stressing that detailed Nigerian Content Plan then matched local companies to project deliverables, with local-sourcing requirements written into contract documents so bidders knew from the outset what must be sourced locally.
Uwais said several fabrication tasks previously sent abroad, including pressure vessels, structural steel, valves, piping, electrical components and coatings, were executed in Nigeria for Train 7. NLNG he also said, invested in technology transfer, research support and workforce training through partnerships with local institutions and foreign specialists.
Rather than limiting local assessments to basic quality checks, NLNG he added, identified local manufacturers with growth potential and sent foreign experts to help them meet international quality assurance standards. The company, he disclosed, helped firms switch from asbestos-based gaskets to safer carbon-graphite materials, supported equipment purchases and sponsored international testing certifications.
Interestingly, NLNG, he revealed, also collaborated with the University of Lagos to develop testing procedures for locally made industrial products like manhole covers.
Uwais stressed the need for closer collaboration among manufacturers, operators and academia to deepen local content across the industry. “We need to build this culture of industries talking to ourselves,” he said, noting that manufacturers can only raise quality when standards and technical requirements are openly shared.
Despite the progress, Uwais warned of a persistent challenge: irregular project cycles that undermine sustained capacity development.
He recalled that companies, which invested after Train 6 saw activity stall for up to 15 years, forcing a restart of the local-supply ecosystem with NCDMB’s support.
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