Congo Understudies Nigeria to Build Local Oil Capacity

Officials from the Republic of Congo have completed a study visit to Nigeria to understudy institutional structures for local content in the energy sector.

Mr. Franc Mouzabakani, Director of Upstream in Congo's Ministry of Hydrocarbons, led the delegation to inspect facilities managed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

The Congolese government arranged the mission to learn how Nigeria builds local capacity and retains oil revenues within its home economy.

The visit allowed Central African energy leaders to review operational templates created under Nigeria's local content laws.

Congo officials inspect energy assets in Bayelsa State

The Congolese delegation inspected major infrastructure projects across Bayelsa State. The field trip covered the NCDMB Gas Plant in Elebele and the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGAPS) located at Emeyal II.

Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Director of Corporate Services, received the visiting officials in Yenagoa. He represented Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary of the NCDMB.

Other Nigerian officials present during the tour included Silas Ajimijaye, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, and Ifeanyi Ukoha, General Manager of Zonal Coordination. Maurice Iwhiwhu, Manager of Health, Safety, Security and Environment, also attended the sessions.

The delegation walked through the Nigerian Content Tower, including its Technology Innovation and Incubation Centre. The facility displays Nigerian strategies for technology development and local entrepreneurship in petroleum operations.

Frameworks guiding the bilateral engagements

During official sessions, NCDMB managers explained their legal mandate and operational methods to the visitors. The discussions covered relevant provisions of Nigeria's Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

NCDMB presentations highlighted the national roadmap designed to reach 70 per cent Nigerian Content participation by the year 2027.

Mouzabakani stated that Congo chose Nigeria for this exercise because of Nigeria's standing as a champion of local content. He noted that direct briefings and site inspections gave his team a clearer picture of Nigeria's policy journey.

Local content policies require energy companies to use domestic labour, goods, and services for oil extraction.

The NCDMB serves as Nigeria's regulatory agency enforcing domestic participation rules across the oil industry. The agency uses industrial parks, technology incubators, and monitoring frameworks to expand indigenous participation.

African oil-producing nations frequently look to Nigeria's regulatory structures to draft their own domestic value-

retention laws.