Ghana’s Petroleum Commission Partners NCDMB On Local Contents Dev

The success stories recorded by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is soon to be experienced in Ghana, as the NCDMB has endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Petroleum Commission, Ghana (PCG).

With the MoU which was signed on the sidelines of the 2024 Annual Local Content Conference and Exhibition held in Takoradi, Ghana, the NCDMB will be expected to offer the PCG some strategic advice and guidance in the areas of laws, frameworks, knowledge exchange, procedures for baseline study, data collection on capacities that exist in Ghana.

For the next three years when the MoU is expected to subsist, the NCDMB will also design a strategic plan for local content implementation in Ghana and other capacity development initiatives in line with Ghana’s desire to build synergies through information sharing and transfer of skills.

This aside, the MoU would also foster collaboration, provide opportunity for global experience, and facilitate advancement of knowledge, leading to local content development in the upstream petroleum sector and the NCDMB will offer technical support in the development of the framework in the formulation of regulations and policies for PCG Local Content laws.

Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, was represented at the signing ceremony by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu, and the Director Legal Services, Mr. Naboth Onyesoh, while the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of Petroleum Commission, Ghana, Mr. Egbert Fabille Jnr and the Acting General Counsel, Nana Akua Agyei signed on behalf of the PCG.

NCDMB had signed a similar agreement with the Technical Secretary of the National Content Monitoring Committee of Senegal (ST-CNSCL) in February 2022. The ST-CNSCL is the agency responsible for the coordination and supervision of the development and implementation of the local content strategies in the Senegalese oil and gas sector.

Earlier at the conference in Ghana, Ogbe had urged African oil and gas service companies to collaborate among themselves and leverage their unique capabilities and capabilities. This approach, he noted, would grow African local content sustainably and help meet the aspirations of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He expressed delight at the collaborative spirit displayed by African countries, noting that “this event is a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering strategic partnerships and driving sustainable growth within our sector.”

Commenting on the theme of the conference, which is “Attracting E&P Investments to Boost Local Content: New Pathways,” the Executive Secretary underscored the necessity for innovative approaches and collaborative efforts to unlock Africa’s hydrocarbon resources, estimated at over 125 billion barrels, accounting for about 10% of global reserves.

He reiterated the role of NCDMB as a business enabler, supporting the development of an efficient indigenous supply chain and delivering quality service competitively in the oil and gas industry.

Reflecting on NCDMB’s achievements, Ogbe noted significant progress in local content development, with an increase from less than 5% in 2010 to 54% in 2023, attributing the growth to the robust NOGICD Act, strategic implementation by the Board and collaboration by industry stakeholders.

He further highlighted the importance of economies of scale in attracting new investments and optimizing capacity utilization in the Exploration and Production (E&P) value chain.