From Adewale Sanyaolu, Houston, Texas
Nigeria is leveraging a multi-billion-dollar deepwater oil project to attract global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) as it steps up efforts to position itself as a major hub for oil and gas manufacturing and services.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, stated this in a presentation at the NCDMB/Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) OEM Networking Forum, held on the sidelines of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2026 in Houston, Texas.
Ogbe, who was represented by the General Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Silas Ajimijaye, said recent Final Investment Decisions (FIDs), including the $20 billion Shell Bonga South-West Aparo deepwater project, are driving a fresh wave of opportunities for OEMs seeking entry into Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain.
He noted that the country has secured three major FIDs within 18 months, alongside the approval of 28 field development plans valued at $18 billion, collectively unlocking about 600,000 barrels per day of additional production capacity.
According to him, the scale of these investments signals renewed confidence by global energy players, including Shell, which committed $5 billion to the Bonga North project.
“When the world’s largest energy companies are accelerating into a market rather than retreating from it, that is your signal. Nigeria is that market and now is that moment,” he said.
To support the investment drive, Ogbe said Nigeria has introduced sweeping reforms aimed at removing longstanding bottlenecks that previously discouraged investors.
He explained that Nigerian Content Plan approvals now carry a legally backed 10-day deadline, with automatic approval granted if timelines are not met, while contracting cycles have been significantly reduced from 18 months to between four and six months.
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