Green Growth Africa proudly announces the appointment of its Executive Director, Dr. Adedoyin Adeleke, as Co-Chair of the United Nations Independent Group of Scientists (IGS) tasked with preparing the 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR).

The appointment, made by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, marks a historic milestone as Dr. Adeleke becomes the first African to be appointed Co-Chair of the eminent group of 15 scientists selected from across the world. He is also the first Nigerian to be appointed to the prestigious group.

The Global Sustainable Development Report is the United Nations’ flagship, evidence-based publication on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, mandated by UN Member States and issued once every four years. The GSDR is designed to strengthen the science-policy-society interface and provide actionable recommendations to world leaders.

As Co-Chair, Dr. Adeleke will guide a team of 15 distinguished experts drawn from diverse scientific disciplines and regions, ensuring that the 2027 report delivers cutting-edge insights on emerging challenges and transformative pathways for sustainable development.

The appointment reflects not only global recognition of Dr. Adeleke’s expertise, but also the rising influence of African voices in shaping global development policy. His leadership will contribute to advancing a balanced and inclusive perspective on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a strong focus on justice, intergenerational equity, and transformative solutions. Given that the 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report is the last to be published before 2030; the IGS to be Co-Chaired by Dr. Adeleke will provide the last push towards the realisation of the SDGs. The outcome of the report will also shape the post-2030 United Nations’ development agenda.

A green growth and sustainability expert whose work bridges science, policy, and practice, Dr. Adeleke is the Founder and Executive Director of the Green Growth Africa Sustainability Network (Green Growth Africa). Green Growth Africa is a UNEP-accredited NGO headquartered in Nigeria and committed to driving just and green transitions for Africa’s development. Dr. Adeleke holds a PhD in Energy and Nuclear Science and Technology from Politecnico di Milano, Italy, where he also served as a Research Fellow within the UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development. He has contributed to diverse international development projects including the EU-funded Long-Term Joint Research and Innovation Partnership on Renewable Energy (LEAP-RE) and Ambassadors for Sustainable Transition (AMBITION), among others.

His pioneering work has advanced sustainable energy, climate actions, biodiversity protection, and citizen-led sustainability initiatives across Africa. He has initiated and lead award-winning youth-focused programmes – EcoHeroes Initiative and Mentoring for Research Programme – that have directly impacted more than 10,000 secondary school students and 175 graduate researchers in 57 universities across 26 African countries. Dr. Adeleke developed Nigeria’s first ultra-modern green building constructed entirely from waste plastic bottles and fully powered by solar energy. He currently champions a nationwide initiative – Scaling National Capacity for Plastic Upcylcing (SNAP-Up) – to address system barriers within the waste value chain and promote green building in Nigeria. He also established Nigerian’s first development Media and Broadcasting outfit – Green Growth TV & Studios – based in Asokoro, Abuja. Moreover, he pioneered two digital innovations for sustainable development –  Green Growth DigiHub – a web and mobile application that provides global visibility for sustainable development projects and actors. The digital platform also extracts and valorizes the global and policy impact of local sustainable development initiatives. His other digital innovation – Green Growth Watch – empowers citizens to capture, document and report environmental news including projects, incidences and crimes and violations to Green Growth TV. Green Growth Watch empowers citizens to know and exercise their environmental rights and ensure that their rights are respected in environmental governance in Africa.

Dr. Adeleke’s contributions to green growth and sustainable development have been widely lauded with various international recognitions. Adedoyin is the first African named in the 30 Under 30 GameChangers in Environmental Education by the Global Environmental Education Partnership, an initiative supported by the U.S. & Taiwanese Government. He was also named in the 40 Under 40 Changemakers in Solar Energy by PennWell Corporation-owned Renewable Energy World, USA. In 2018, he was also named in the Top 100 Shakers and Movers in Corporate E-Learning, among others. EcoHeroes Initiative, initiated and led by Dr. Adeleke won the prestigious Okayama ESD Award (Japan) & Pratt & Whitney Excellence Award in E-STEM, both in 2022. Moreover, he has contributed to several high-level UN and international reports, including UNEP’s Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-7) and 2023 and 2024 editions of UNEP’s Climate Technology Progress Report, among several others.  

The 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report will be the third in a series of quadrennial reports, following the 2019 (The Future is Now: Science for Achieving Sustainable Development) and the 2023 report (Times of Crisis, Times of Change: Science for Accelerating Transformations to Sustainable Development).

It will serve as a critical input to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in September 2027, providing scientific guidance on the state of global progress, identifying emerging challenges, and offering actionable recommendations. The outcome of the report will also provide a bedrock for the post-2030 United Nations’ development agenda. 

The Independent Group of 15 Scientists will be supported by a UN task team led by DESA, UNESCO, UNEP, UNDP, UNCTAD, and the World Bank, ensuring broad consultation across governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector. 

Green Growth Africa congratulates Dr. Adeleke on this groundbreaking appointment and looks forward to the invaluable impact his leadership will bring to advancing sustainable development in Africa and across the globe. 

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Wednesday in Cape Town, South Africa, identified key skill areas it would focus capacity building efforts for optimal job creation opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe disclosed this in his keynote address at the on-going Africa Energy Week (AEW), as he shared Nigeria’s success story in local content development.

The skill areas highlighted for special focus include underwater welding, subsea engineering, geosciences, project management, deepwater operations (drilling, production engineers), instrumentation and controls.

Others are digitalisation including Artificial Intelligence (AI), helicopter pilots, with a delivery model that is based on classroom and hands-on approach.

Delivering the address entitled “From Policy to Prosperity: Scaling Local Content for Africa’s Energy Future,” the Executive Secretary said no policy succeeds without people, and that challenges such as infrastructure gaps and financing limitations “are not reasons to slow down” but “reasons to deepen collaboration between government, operators, service companies and host communities” to co-create solutions.

He pointed out that in the aforementioned challenges and expected solutions are a shared opportunity for African countries to “harmonise local content policies, create regional supply chains, and leverage continental institutions like the emerging African Energy Bank.”

He further charged African countries to ensure that the skills of citizens, the creativity of entrepreneurs and strength of their institutions define the future of African energy.

The Executive Secretary, who was represented by the Director, Corporate Services of the NCDMB, Dr. Adbdulmalik Halilu, noted that the local content strategy developed by the Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) for member countries and the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement policy of the African Union are “clear pathways towards fostering trade-based multilateral cooperation within the continent.”

He emphasised that scaling local content requires human capital development and deployment, infrastructure development, technology and innovation, cross-border collaboration and partnerships (common standards, tariff and demand), in addition to policy harmonization.

On Nigeria’s local content journey, with in-country value addition now at 57 per cent, up from five per cent in 2010, when the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, the NCDMB boss said the overarching objective was to position Nigeria as the destination of choice for investment in exploration and production (E&P) but most importantly to create jobs for citizens and new industries supporting E&P value chain, while ensuring sustainable operations for future generations.

Local content implementation, according to him, was anchored on six broad pillars, namely, regulatory framework, gap analysis, capacity building, incentives and funding research and development (R&D), and access to market, and driven by several policy interventions.

The policy interventions include Equipment Component Manufacturing Initiative, which requires companies to obtain Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate to qualify for supply of equipment; marine vessel categorization scheme, which requires companies to provide proof of indigenous ownership of marine vessels to qualify for vessel contracts; project-based training, which requires project promoters to commit a percentage of project cost to industry-relevant training.

On accomplishments under the NOGICD Act, Engr. Ogbe declared: “Nigeria now hosts a world-class fabrication and integration yard for fabrication of production platforms and integration of Floating Production Offloading and Storage (FPSO) vessels, high voltage cables and fiber optics for LNG train.” Also, that production platforms are now produced from Nigerian cable manufacturers, while design engineering capacity exists for onshore, offshore, LNG, [and] gas gathering facilities.”

He disclosed that operators like Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, Seplat and Oando are taking over assets from international oil companies (IOCs), under a divestment programme, and would become key contributors to Nigeria’s target to achieve three million barrels per day production by 2030.

He noted that recent Executive Orders by the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that introduced tax incentives tied to time-bound upstream investment and cost leadership and also intended to accelerate contract processing cycles for oil and gas projects, from 36 months to six months, have birthed major projects such as UBETA Gas Development Project and Bonga North Project, among others that are in the pipeline.

Engr. Ogbe concluded with a firm assurance to other oil- and gas-producing countries on the continent that NCDMB is committed to partnering them all “to build an African energy sector that is owned, operated, and sustained by Africans.

The African Energy Week, organised by the African Energy Chambers, is an interactive exhibition and networking event, attended by energy policymakers, operators and service companies in the oil and gas industry and prospective investors, among others.

The three Executive Orders issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the Oil and Gas Industry in March 2024 did not erode the relevance of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act on the operations of the oil and gas industry, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has said.

This was one of key messages from the Local Content Masterclass and panel discussion at the African Energy Week, which started in Cape Town, South Africa.

Discussions at the panel highlighted Nigeria’s local content’s milestones and processes, provided local lessons for other African oil and gas producing countries, clarified misconceptions, as well as positioned Nigeria’s oil and gas industry for investment.

The panellists included the Director Capacity Building, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, General Manager Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Silas Omomehin Ajimijaye, and General Manager, Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF), Ms. Fateemah Mohammed, and the session was moderated by the General Manager Corporate Communications, NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi.

Giving insight into the Presidential Directives, Engr. Bamidele observed that some oil and gas stakeholders grossly misinterpreted the Presidential Directives to mean that the NOGICD Act had been relegated or sidestepped and they no longer need to comply with the provisions of the law.

“The Special Adviser to the President on Energy had to clarify that the Presidential Directives did not set aside local content. They only mandated that existing capacities must be patronized and middlemen must be excluded from the contracting process.”

The three Executive Orders are the Presidential Directive on Local Content Compliance, Presidential Directive on Reduction of Petroleum Sector Contracting Cost and Timelines and Presidential Directive on Oil and Gas Companies (Tax Incentives, Exemption, Remission, etc.

Bamidele confirmed that NCDMB had streamlined its contracting strategies to align with the Presidential Directives, collapsed its touchpoints in the contract approval process from 9 to 5, thereby contributing to the shortening the industry’s contracting cycle, reduction of the cost of projects and catalysing new oil and gas projects from operating oil and gas companies.

He announced that qualified international service companies can now be awarded the Nigerian Content Equipment Certificates (NCEC), to facilitate their direct participation in deepwater operations in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, as provided in the NOGICD Act. This policy will attract investments into the sector, and is consistent with the Presidential Directives, he explained.

On Board’s strategy for capacity development for new oil and gas projects, he said plans are afoot to conduct trainings in skill areas that are in a high demand in the sector. He underlined the need to always streamline capacity building initiatives with requirements and changing dynamics in the industry.

The Board is also committed to developing critical infrastructure such as the Brass Island Shipyard with support of the NLNG, as well as completing and operationalising the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks at Odukpani, Cross River State and Emeyal-1 in Bayelsa State, he hinted.

Counselling sister Africa countries, Engr. Bamidele noted that local content and capacity building strategies must be country-specific, and policy makers must understand the mindset and skillsets of their nationals.

He further advised that local content policies and capacity building models must be relevant and applicable to the host country’s technological, educational and manpower capacities.

While making his comments, the General Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Silas Omomehin Ajimijaye outlined the robust mechanism the Board deploys in monitoring companies’ execution of oil and gas projects, ensuring compliance with the provisions of the NOGICD Act, and retaining significant value in the economy.

On the impact of divestment of oil and gas assets on Nigerian content compliance, he stated that the transfer of assets to indigenous operators had not impacted negatively on compliance. This is because the Board sustained the compliance protocols it had established with the previous owners. However, the Board, is ready to support successor companies to navigate challenges they might have with compliance, he added.

Speaking further Ajimijaye highlighted the importance of robust research and development initiatives to achieving sustainable local content development. He indicated that NCDMB had developed an R&D roadmap and collaborates regularly with operating companies, service firms, the academia, and other relevant institutions.

Currently, NCDMB has established six centers of excellence at key universities across six zones of the country, while Research and Development Fund has been deployed to support commercialization of viable projects, with 15 research ideas and inventions currently supported to ensure their successful development, he added.

In her contributions, the General Manager, NCDF, Fateemah Mohammed explained that the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund is a dedicated finance scheme that provides single digit financing to Nigerian service companies, enabling them to grow capacities and play key roles in the oil and gas industry.

Giving insight into the seven products of the NCI Fund, she dwelt on the Community Contractors Fund, which is a N50 billion finance scheme designed for contractors in local communities, whereby they can assess up to N100 million, at single digit to execute contracts in the oil and gas industry and grow the local economy.

Another unique product is the US$20 million Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund managed by Nigeria-Export-Import Bank, for deepening the capacities and capabilities of women entrepreneurs and industrialists to fully participate in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

Recommending similar funding schemes to other African countries, Mohammed disclosed NCDMB’s aspiration to grow the NCI Fund and collaborate with other financial institutions to unlock larger projects and enhance skills development of the populace.

The re-entry into Ogoniland marks a historic turning point for Nigeria — not just in terms of oil production, but more broadly, this milestone reflects the spirit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which commits to building a stronger country, attracting responsible investment, and ensuring that community development is at the heart of national progress.

Speaking during the presentation of the Ogoni Consultations Report at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, President Tinubu acknowledged that the Ogoni people have endured long years of pain, and that this re-entry reflects the government’s recognition of their sacrifices.

“We are not, as a government, taking lightly the years of pain endured in Ogoniland. We recognise that, otherwise we would not be here today…We declare with conviction that hope is here and is back with us,” the President said.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, echoed the President’s sentiments, calling the development a re-affirmation of the company’s unwavering commitment to the Ogoni re-entry plan and a bold step towards justice, healing, and national prosperity. He emphasized that the re-entry demonstrates that Nigeria can confront its past, honour the sacrifices of its communities, and forge a new path with a vision of prosperity and justice for all.

“The re-entry into Ogoniland is not just about oil and gas. It is about justice, healing, and charting a new future for our nation,” Ojulari said.

Ogoni re-entry can be seen as both a test and an opportunity for the country. It demonstrates that equity can exist in national development, and oil can co-exist with environmental stewardship and inclusive nation-building. This milestone is a practical example of how President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda translates into reality by strengthening our country, creating conditions for responsible investment, while prioritising the prosperity of host communities.

Ojulari acknowledged the pivotal leadership of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, in convening a committee that brought diverse stakeholders together, creating the platform for dialogue and consensus that made this breakthrough possible. He also praised the work of Professor Don Baridam and members of the Presidential Committee, who engaged tirelessly and transparently with all relevant parties to produce a report that tells a story of fairness and inclusivity that will ultimately bring closure and renew hope for the Ogoni people and all Nigerians.

“The lesson is that this journey cannot be driven solely by production volumes. It must be anchored on justice, equity, sustainability, and most importantly, collaboration with the very people whose land bears this wealth,” he stated.

To that end, Ojulari was categorical that in resuming operations in Ogoni, NNPC Ltd will continue to build trust by prioritising community engagements with key stakeholders, investing in infrastructure, and empowering local enterprise.

He confirmed that NNPC has already began initiatives in road construction, infrastructure upgrades, and economic empowerment programs designed to rebuild trust and demonstrate accountability in an inclusive manner. “NNPC Ltd is determined to transform Ogoniland from a symbol of conflict into a beacon of reconciliation, renewal, and sustainable progress,” he concluded.

In his remarks, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, echoed the general sentiments that sustainable progress is possible and proven through collaboration with all parties concerned. He said the report was the outcome of an intensive, methodical, and transparent engagement, while Professor Baridam, on behalf of the Committee, thanked the President for his unwavering commitment to the well-being of the Ogoni people, stressing that through diplomacy and relentless insistence on dialogue, host community trust was earned, and hope restored.

This restored hope is also a message for the international community— Ogoni re-entry is more than a Nigerian milestone. It is a classic example of how a resource-rich nation like Nigeria can reconcile environmental protection with energy security. By placing community benefit at the centre, Nigeria is rewriting the global playbook on how oil and gas operations can co-exist with local aspirations, sharing a global example of how energy development can be reconciled with environmental protection and community inclusion.

For Nigeria, it signals progress is being redefined as a partnership between government, industry, and the people.

NLNG in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), on Friday achieved a major milestone in the Nigerian Content development commitment, with the close-out of Train 7 Project Human Capital Development (HCD) Advanced Training Programme, at the plant complex in Finima – Bonny Island. The training ends officially on 30th September 2025 with the departure of the trainees from its plant facility in Bonny Island.

The HCD programme, run under the guidance of the NCDMB, is a Federal Government Initiative to build capacity for the oil and gas industry and fulfil the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act’s requirement on human capital development.

A total of 122 trainees, having completed prior HCD Basic Training Programmes, were approved by the NCDMB, to participate in the rigorous three month on the job training (OJT) within NLNG facilities, covering both graduate and vocational categories. The training programme focused on development of technical expertise in plant and facility management, amongst other competencies, and has positioned the trainees to take advantage of future opportunities within the oil and gas industry.

Speaking at the ceremony, the NLNG Train 7 Project Director Engr. Ali Uwais, represented by Engr. Joshua Anemeje, the NLNG Train 7 Project Corporate Liaison Manager, described the advanced training programme as a testament of the resilience, discipline, and growth of the trainees. He congratulated the trainees for their commitment to excellence and urged them to take advantage of future opportunities within the oil and gas industry.

“This programme is about building a new generation of Nigerian professionals who will shape the oil and gas sector for decades to come. Its successful completion with a zero-incident safety record reflects not only your dedication but also NLNG’s uncompromising culture of ‘Safety First and Always’, and its operational excellence”, Joshua said.

He further commended the role of NCDMB as a strategic partner in driving Nigerian Content targets and capacity development in the industry. He also commended the training partners, Candix Engineering Nigeria Limited, AOS Orwell, Arco Marine and Engineering Limited, Dover Engineering and Amaiden Energy Nigeria Limited, who ensured the trainees got a world class OJT experience and HR management.

“Today is proof that strategic collaboration delivers impact. Through our collaboration with NCDMB and our training partners, we are shaping the future by investing in people, strengthening capacity, and laying the groundwork for sustainable national prosperity.” He added.

Joshua encouraged the graduates to leverage their skills to create value in Nigeria’s energy sector and beyond. He added that the investment in building their skills was made by the Federal Government of Nigeria via the NLNG Train 7 Project Human Capital Development Programme for which they are expected to take maximum advantage.

In his comments, the NCDMB’s General Manager, Human Capital Development (HCD), Esueme Dan Kikile, Esq, expressed delight on the conclusion of the training programme, which produced a pool of skilled and globally competitive workforce, knowledgeable in key areas such as instrumentation, electrical, mechanical, lifting and rigging activities, and fabrication, preventive and corrective maintenance, and can compete globally in the oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors. In addition, the programme is another important milestone in the collective journey towards building a skilled Nigerian workforce for the oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors.

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

“This training provided hands-on experience on a live LNG project that complimented your academic and theoretical knowledge. This training further exposed trainees to specialized advanced technical disciplines, project management, health and safety, and emerging technologies critical to the future of the industry,” he added.

‘It is my delight to note that twenty-seven (27) have received special recognition awards for their aptitude during the programme, out of which six (6) who were very exceptional have been offered automatic employment by AOS Orwell, one of the training partners’, he said.

He charged the trainees to utilize the rare skills they have acquired to contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian oil and gas industry and national economy, and serve as good ambassadors of the programme, contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s industrial growth.

He lauded the NLNG and all other partner companies for their unwavering commitment to Nigerian Content development, referencing several other initiatives the Board is partnering NLNG to deepen local content implementation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

Awards were also presented to all the deserving trainees as part of the programme.