PETAN Strengthens Nigerian and African Local Content in Oil and Gas Sector
The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) continues to solidify its pivotal role in advancing local content across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain, while expanding its influence to foster pan-African collaboration in the energy sector.
At its recent 4th Quarter General Meeting and New Members Induction in Lagos, PETAN welcomed additional indigenous service companies, underscoring its commitment to building a robust ecosystem of capable Nigerian operators. The event highlighted the association’s focus on enhancing local capacity, promoting innovation, and ensuring Nigerian firms remain competitive domestically and globally.
PETAN Chairman, Engr. Wole Ogunsanya, emphasised the association’s broader continental vision through his leadership of the African Local Content Organisation (ALCO). ALCO aims to break down national market barriers, create a harmonised regulatory framework, and enable cross-border movement of expertise and equipment. Key pillars include retaining GDP within Africa by reversing capital flight in energy investments, leveraging the Africa Energy Bank for major projects, and promoting the “Nigerian Model” of local content legislation as a blueprint for the continent.
PETAN’s advocacy has been instrumental in Nigeria’s local content achievements, including its historic role in enacting the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010. The association holds a statutory seat on the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Governing Council, influencing policies on indigenous participation and value retention. Recent reports indicate Nigeria’s local content performance reached approximately 56% by mid-2025, reflecting sustained progress.
Member companies demonstrated resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining production amid restrictions, and today operate across the full value chain—from pipeline construction and drilling to processing, refineries, and LPG production for domestic markets. Chairman Ogunsanya has stressed the need to scale capacity, particularly in rigs and drilling, as international operators divest assets to local players.
PETAN also participated in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) “Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum” in London in November 2025, alongside majors like Shell, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil. The forum supported Nigeria’s goal of adding one million barrels per day to output, coinciding with the launch of the 2025 Licensing Round. Nigeria’s crude production has risen to around 1.6 million barrels per day in recent months, aided by regulatory reforms.
Additionally, PETAN organises the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC), a flagship platform for regional collaboration, technology exchange, local content, and energy transition.
Through policy advocacy, capacity building, and strategic partnerships, PETAN remains a driving force for sustainable indigenous dominance in Nigeria’s energy sector and broader African integration.
