Deputy General Manager, Nigerian Content, TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Cyprian Ojum, has made a strategic call to industry stakeholders, emphasizing that local content should be prioritized by all operators, alliance partners, and investors involved in any business transactions within the Nigerian oil and gas sector. This is because it is a fundamental aspect of management philosophy for sustained industry growth and socio-economic development.
Ojum made the statement during the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria’s (PETAN) three-day sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum, Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC).
He emphasized that TotalEnergies is committed to abiding by the legislation’s terms and that the company’s local content plan is in line with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Development Act of 2010.
“What do you keep when you finish a contract? Is the value rated in Nigeria or is the value exported? Local content is a composite value created or built in Nigeria,” he asked.
The firm position taken by TotalEnergies highlights the critical role that local content plays in promoting a more sustainable and equitable energy industry.
Nicolas Odinuwe, the chairman of PETAN, urged institutions and the government to reevaluate their policies and stop illegally diverting funding intended for local content development. He emphasized that the money is neither extra nor unused and that it must be used specifically for the creation of local content.
“Community engagement and participation serve as the foundation for local content. For local communities to generate, produce, and consume material that reflects their interests and beliefs, they must actively participate in these activities. When the community takes control of the content generation process, it assures authenticity, relevance, and a stronger connection to the environment,” Odinuwe stated.
He continued by saying that the association’s dedication to quality goes beyond the oil and gas industry because they understand the narrative-shaping, change-inspiring, and economic growth-promoting potential of African content.
PETAN highlighted that local content provides a platform for capacity growth, allowing business owners to comply with international trade and commercial standards. The association emphasized the ongoing expansion of productive capacities in food production, industry, and services. It credited this advancement to the persistent efforts of the private sector as well as the successive Nigerian governments’ local content development and backward integration initiatives.
Heineken Lokpobiri, the minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), stated that gas is not only a transitional energy source but also strategically important for establishing a more secure energy future. He emphasized that gas catalyzes the accomplishment of several national development goals.
To support existing government initiatives, Lokpobiri called for collaboration, highlighting Nigeria’s pressing gas needs as well as the many opportunities the industry offers to all parties involved.
