By Prof. Bart O. Nnaji

Founder/Chairman

Geometric Power Limited and former Nigerian Minister of Power

Africa’s energy journey is often portrayed as a stark choice between climate responsibility and development. In reality, the continent faces a more nuanced challenge: finding a fair, gradual energy transition that matches its unique needs and ambitions.

Technology and innovation can drive this change, helping secure affordable and sustainable energy for all.

In the coming decades, Africa’s population is expected to soar to nearly 2.5 billion. Cities will grow. Industries will expand. Digital connections will multiply. The demand for energy will increase significantly. Right now, expecting Africa to abandon fossil fuels overnight is neither realistic nor fair. In the near future, fossil fuels remain crucial for base power that is reliable, and affordable. In particular, natural gas is key transition fuel that will remain the base power solution for the next decade. Africa must not embrace renewable energy primarily when they have abundance of fossil fuel for their industrialisation as other emerging and emerged nations have done.

A just energy transition recognises these realities and seeks ways to build cleaner, more resilient systems over time.

• Technology as the Enabler of Africa’s Energy Future

Exciting new technologies are already reshaping Africa’s energy landscape:

Decentralised solutions, like mini-grids, off-grid solar, and batteries, bring electricity to places traditional grids can’t reach. By 2030, these distributed renewables could provide most new connections in underserved communities.

Smart grids and AI-driven management can reduce waste. They help utilities serve people better.

Modern batteries ensure that solar and wind energy can be delivered steadily, even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.

Decentralised approaches are essential to Africa’s path toward universal energy access. While technology is not a fix-all solution, it is a crucial enabler of efficiency, resilience, and affordability, shaping Africa’s energy future.

African entrepreneurs are leading much of this change. They’re developing solutions that meet local needs, such as pay-as-you-go solar, community-run mini-grids, and mobile payment platforms. These innovations don’t just bring power; they create jobs, build skills, and reap economic benefits for the continent.

But innovation alone isn’t enough. Investment is critical. According to the International Energy Agency, Africa needs about $90 billion annually to achieve a successful energy transition, but current funding falls short.

Governments can help by setting clear, supportive policies that attract investment and make projects more affordable. Organisations like the African Development Bank say grid investment must rise dramatically, and clean energy spending should double by 2030 to keep up with growing demand. 

• From Energy Access to Economic and Human Impact

Reliable energy is more than just a technical necessity – it’s what fuels industrial growth. Picture the continent’s factories buzzing with activity, transport networks connecting people and goods, and data centres powering a vibrant digital economy.

Expanding decentralised solutions brings light to places that have been left in the dark for too long. It’s about giving children a place to study at night, helping clinics store vaccines safely, and empowering entrepreneurs to launch new businesses.

Of course, none of this works in isolation. Supportive policies, strong regulations, and partnerships between governments and private companies are essential. When African countries harmonise their rules and work together, they can create bigger markets. This draws even more investment and innovation.

Ultimately, Africa’s energy transition must be shaped by Africans themselves. The path forward is about collaboration, pragmatism, and investing in homegrown solutions. Africa’s mobile phone revolution showed the world how quickly the continent can leapfrog old systems. The same can happen with energy; by embracing flexible, tech-driven models that serve today’s and tomorrow’s needs.

Now is the time to come together to act boldly and invest in Africa’s energy future. By uniting efforts, we can turn potential into progress, ensuring resilient, inclusive, and sustainable energy for generations to come. Let’s power Africa’s future, together.

Some graduands of the NLNG Train 7 Project Human Capacity Development (HCD) Basic Training Programme during the Batch 2 Closeout Ceremony. 

Seventy young professionals have graduated from the NLNG Train 7 Project Human Capacity Development Basic Training Programme, completing an intensive one-year programme in Data Analysis and Supply Chain Management. The milestone underscores NLNG’s commitment to developing a skilled, industry-ready workforce and strenghtening Nigeria’s capacity to compete in an increasingly dynamic global energy sector.

Beyond their core specialisations, the graduates received practical exposure in key oil and gas support areas, including Health, Safety and Environment, Business Management, Information Technology, Document Management, Nigerian Content awareness, and on-the-job training, a blend of technical and workplace skills critical to the industry value chain.

Speaking at the close-out ceremony, Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manger, External Relations & Sustainable Development stated that the successful completion of the 12-month programme demonstrated what strategic investment in human capacity can achieve.

She noted that the graduates had been equipped with the professional intellect, discipline, and character required to contribute meaningfully to their chosen fields. She charged them to see themselves as products of a national investment and to apply their skills with integrity, precision, and excellence.

“You started this journey as candidates, and today, we are showing you off as professionals. From here, I urge you to continue to demonstrate the discipline you have learnt and never forget that you are the dividends of a national investment,” she said.

Project Director, NLNG Train 7 Project, Engr. Ali Uwais, stated that the programme showed the strength of NLNG and NCDMB’s collaboration in closing critical competency gaps in the oil and gas industry. He noted that with 401 candidates trained across Batch 1 and Batch 2, the initiative had strengthened Nigeria’s pool of industry-ready professionals. He urged the graduates to remain committed to innovation and continuous learning in a fast-changing technology-driven industry.

“The success of this programme is a testament to the effective collaboration of NCDMB and NLNG to close competency gaps in relevant industry skills,” he said.

Engr. Uwais also commended the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria, OGTAN, as custodian of the training standards, for ensuring that the programme delivered the required competencies.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Ms. Alexis Emelle, General Manager, Human Capacity Development, applauded the strong collaboration between NCDMB and NLNG.

She described the Human Capacity Development component of the Train 7 Project as a practical demonstration of the successful implementation of the Board’s Human Capital Development Guideline, 2020, which mandates major oil and gas projects to deliberately support the training, empowerment and capacity development of Nigerians.

Emelle noted that the Train 7 Project, one of the largest gas infrastructure developments in Africa, had not only created jobs but also provided a platform to groom young Nigerians with advanced technical and managerial competencies.

“The training provided hands-on experience on a live LNG project, complementing the trainees’ academic and theoretical knowledge. It also exposed them to specialized advanced technical disciplines, project management, health and safety, and emerging technologies critical to the future of the industry,” she said.

The close-out ceremony brought the NLNG Train 7 Project Human Capacity Development Basic Training Programme to a formal conclusion, with 70 trainees graduating from Batch 2 and the total number of beneficiaries under the NCDMB/NLNG-sponsored initiative rising to 401.

The programme adds to Nigeria’s pool of local talent trained in technical, safety, business, and professional areas relevant to the oil and gas value chain, while reinforcing NLNG’s support for the country’s human capital development agenda and NCDMB’s mandate to deepen local capacity and close industry skills gaps.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) and Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL), has commenced a 12-month Human Capacity Development (HCD) programme aimed at equipping young Nigerians with critical competencies required to support supply base operations within the oil and gas industry.

The programme, which kicked off on Tuesday, at the LADOL free zone, Apapa, Lagos, will train 12 beneficiaries through a structured combination of classroom learning and practical industry exposure in specialised areas that support logistics, trade, procurement, and supply chain operations.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, Human Capacity Development, Ms. Alexis Emelle, described the initiative as more than a training programme, noting that it is an investment in people and the future of Nigeria’s energy industry.

She stated that the programme reflects the Board’s commitment to building a skilled workforce capable of meeting the evolving needs of the industry and creating opportunities for young Nigerians to thrive in specialised fields.

Emelle reminded the trainees that being selected for the programme comes with responsibility and urged them to approach the training with discipline, commitment, and a willingness to learn.

According to her, the industry requires professionals who are dependable, adaptable, and solution-oriented, adding that every assignment, lesson, and practical experience should be seen as an opportunity to build competence and character.

Speaking on behalf of SNEPCo, the Nigerian Content Manager, Mr. Obiajulu Onochie, described human capital development as a key component of operational excellence.

He noted that the success of Nigerian Content is closely linked to the work of NCDMB and commended the Board for establishing itself as one of the most professional institutions driving capacity development in the industry.

Onochie added that SNEPCo remains passionate about developing Nigerian talent and has implemented several training initiatives this year in areas including cybersecurity, NEBOSH, blockchain architecture, and subsea disciplines.

He reiterated the company’s commitment to local content development, stressing that investing in people is essential to building a sustainable energy industry.

In her remarks, a representative of LADOL underscored the significance of Nigerian Content to indigenous businesses, stating that without local content, “LADOL would not exist in its present form”.

The representative added that the organisation remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen local capacity and prepare young Nigerians for meaningful careers within the sector.

Following a rigorous two-stage selection process, the 12 beneficiaries will undergo training designed to equip them with practical skills required to support supply base operations and strengthen Nigeria’s local content capacity.

Speaking on behalf of the trainees, Mr. Olaniye Sodiq expressed appreciation to NCDMB, SNEPCo, LADOL, and all the training partners for investing resources in their development.

He said the beneficiaries were eager to learn and looked forward to contributing meaningfully to LADOL and the wider oil and gas industry upon completion of the programme.

The Human Capacity Development initiative reinforces NCDMB’s commitment to building sustainable local capacity by aligning training programmes with industry needs and creating pathways for young Nigerians to access high-value career opportunities within the energy sector.

R-L: Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, General Manager, Corporate Communications, Esueme Dan Kikile Esq, Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Director, Corporate Services, Mrs. Jennifer Boateng, Adviser, General Services, GNPC, Mr. Eric Pwadura, Director, Corporate Affairs GNPC, Mr. Augustine Bayivella, Principal, Supply Chain and Local Content development officer, and Seidu Salim Braimah, Manager Supply chain and local content. 

A delegation from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has visited the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on a knowledge sharing and local content benchmarking study, with a view to deepen their understanding of the Board’s local content development practices in the areas of policy frameworks and implementation strategies, among other things.

The delegation, led by the Director of Corporate Affairs at GNPC, Mr. Eric Pwadura, is on week tour of the NCDMB corporate headquarters, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and was received on Monday by the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe.

Welcoming the delegation, the Executive Secretary remarked that Africa has evolved over the last three to four decades, growing its hydrocarbon resources to over 120 billion barrels of crude oil reserves and 800 trillion standard cubic feet of gas, which constitute over 10 per cent of hydrocarbon resources globally.

He pointed out that as a hydrocarbon resource continent, it is in the national interest of the producing countries to prioritise local content development, paying particular attention to the necessity of reversing the trend of dependency on foreign technology for exploration, field development and production activities. The countries have to look inward for the capabilities to exploit their resources, he said.

Represented by the Director, Corporate Services of the NCDMB, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, the NCDMB boss explained the potential of “crude oil as commodity for economic transformation,” noting that Africa has the advantage of a huge youth population, that is, the labour force, which should be made to acquire the requisite skills for industry operations.

He recalled that Nigeria’s local content journey began with the Local Content Division in the defunct Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), managing local content issues in the oil and gas industry through mere policy directives, and transformed into the NCDMB we have today. “We have evolved from a policy to an institution,” he enthused, adding, “NCDMB is the sole agency responsible for local content” in Nigeria.

He disclosed that NCDMB Board introduced the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap, which comprises five strategic pillars, namely, Technical Capability Development, Compliance and Enforcement, Enabling Business Environment, Organisational Capability, and Sectoral and Regional Markets, as well as five enablers, namely, Funding, Regulatory Environment, Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement, and Research and Development.

Among strategies for capacity building, Engr. Ogbe listed the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund), which it operates through development finance institutions like the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) to provide single digit loans to service companies. “What we have done is to create that access to make the local service companies competitive,” he explained, adding that the facility has enabled indigenous companies to acquire critical assets and facilities, including marine vessels operating in Nigeria.

He pointed out that when capacities are built, they must be utilised, hence the Board incentivises investments through a policy of First Consideration that favours indigenous companies with demonstrable capabilities.

He advised African countries seeking to broaden indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry that “local content does not compromise standards…it does not mean you have African spec, European spec,” adding, “It’s one global spec.”

In focused presentation on the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap, Assistant Manager in the Strategy and Transformational Projects, NCDMB, Dr. Zuwairat Asekome, gave highlights of the journey of the Board, beginning with the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, through successive stages of growth in the implementation of local content policy and monitoring to the present, when it has successfully raised in-country value addition in the industry to 61 per cent.

In his response, Mr. Eric Pwadura expressed profound appreciation for the privilege to participate in a programme for knowledge sharing at the NCDMB, stating, “Even though we have the legislation guiding local content, we have not had the benefit of having a robust local content environment like you have.”

According to him, “If we take our organization (Ghana National Petroleum Corporation), for example, what we have is a local content unit. That’s currently the structure that we have,” adding, “We want to have a deeper understanding of your local content development programme.”

In his remarks, the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation of the NCDMB, Esueme Dan Kikile Esq. noted the high interest of African oil producing countries in local content. “It’s important that we work together; we are happy to continue to share our experience in oil and gas, share our experience in local content,” he stated.

In an opening address, the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division (CCD), NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, explained that “Nigeria and Ghana have had a long history of collaboration in the energy sector, and that the NCDMB and the GNPC have had fruitful interactions at international conferences. He said NCDMB had mentored several African organsations on local content.  NCDMB, he added, has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Petroleum Commission Ghana, the National Content Monitoring Committee of Senegal (ST-CNSCL), as well as partnerships with related agencies in Mozambique, Angolan, and Namibia.

Other delegates from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation are Mrs. Jennifer Boateng, Adviser, General Services; Mr. Augustine Bayivella, Principal, Supply Chain and Local Content Development Officer, and Mr. Seidu Salim Braimah, Manager, Supply Chain and Local Content Development.

The Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS) at Emeyal-1, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State will become operational by the fourth quarter of 2026, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has reaffirmed.

Towards the target date, the NCDMB is set to install a 2.5-megawatt Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) power plant at the park. The power plant is one of the key steps to getting the facility operational, as it will provide reliable and sustainable electricity supply to support industrial operations within the park.

The General Manager Corporate Communications NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi gave the assurance after an assessment visit to the facility by key personnel of the Board on Friday. The tour revealed significant progress across key infrastructure and support systems designed to position the facility as a major industrial hub for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme was conceived to deepen Nigerian Content by providing a conducive environment for the manufacturing of components, equipment and other inputs required by the oil and gas industry, while creating employment opportunities for over 2000 persons when fully operational, and stimulating economic growth.

Giving further insights into the current state of the facility, Manager Strategy and Transformation Projects, NCDMB, Mr. Olubisi Okunola explained that several critical facilities within the park have been completed and are ready for use. These include manufacturing shop floors, a fully functional water treatment plant, well-equipped accommodation facilities, modern classrooms, an amphitheater, and residential apartments for trainers, facilitators and visiting guests.

In addition to the CNG power plant, NCDMB has also completed key power infrastructure, including the switchgear building, transformers and heavy-duty generators.

To further enhance the park’s capacity for manufacturing activities, the Board has also awarded a contract for the sand-filling of ponds located within the facility. Upon completion of the sand-filling exercise, six manufacturing sheds will be constructed on the reclaimed land to provide industrial spaces for prospective investors and service providers.

Environmental maintenance activities are also ongoing, with landscaping and routine facility upkeep being carried out across the park to preserve existing infrastructure and maintain operational readiness.

Ongoing works at the facility are focused on ensuring that all supporting infrastructure and utilities required for seamless operations are fully in place ahead of the park’s planned operational date.

When operational, the Oil and Gas Park Scheme will serve as a strategic platform for the growth of indigenous manufacturing and service companies, reduce dependence on imported oil and gas components, create employment opportunities for Nigerians, and strengthen local participation across the oil and gas value chain.

The NCDMB remains committed to the successful delivery of the project in line with its mandate of developing in-country capacity and advancing Nigerian Content in the oil and gas industry.