Since assuming office in December 2023, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Ogbe, has redefined the nature of indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector. Under his visionary stewardship, the Board has transitioned from a purely regulatory body into an unstoppable force for economic stabilization. They recently achieved a historic 61% Nigerian Content level as of Q3 2025, a powerful step towards the 70% target set for 2027.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) was established by the NOGICD Act of 2010 to monitor, coordinate, and provide guidelines for the development of Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry. The current executive secretary Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the 7th of December, 2023.
One of Engr. Ogbe’s most impressive achievements is the radical modernization of the industry’s contracting cycle. In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Executive Orders, Ogbe has successfully compressed project approval timelines from a sluggish 36 months to just 6 months. By eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks and unnecessary procedures, he has restored investor confidence and accelerated Final Investment Decisions (FIDs) on “big-ticket” projects like UBETA and Bonga North.
This commitment to transparency was recently validated in December 2025, when the NCDMB emerged as the Best Agency in Nigeria for the fourth consecutive year in the PEBEC Transparency and Efficiency Champion Awards.
Engr. Ogbe understands that “local content” is an empty phrase without the financial muscle to back it. In December 2025, he unveiled the landmark $100 million Equity Investment Scheme in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI). This new product pushed the Board’s total funding interventions to $550 million, providing high-growth indigenous firms with the patient capital needed to compete globally.
While boosting the financial ability of the agency, Engr. Felix Ogbe does not leave out human investments. He facilitated the Women in Oil and Gas Fund; A $20 million reserve organised to bridge the gender gap in the industry. Under the community Contractors Scheme, He ensured over 94 successful disbursements in 2025 alone, ensuring that the wealth generated from the soil reaches the host communities. Also, his “Back-to-Creek” initiative is currently building the interest of thousands of Niger Delta adolescents toward STEM and vocational excellence.
In his latest move to stabilize the sector, Engr. Ogbe issued the Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate (NCEC) Guidance Notes. This asset quality control directive seeks to eliminate “briefcase contractors” and middlemen who lack reliable technical capacity. It automates the contract application process with timestamps and prohibits the transfer of content equipment certificates. This way, NCDMB ensures that only genuine, asset-owning Nigerian companies lead the charge in oilfield services. The notes were officially released and effected in December 2025, while further implementation frameworks were unveiled on February 9, 2026.
Beyond the boardrooms of Abuja, Engr. Ogbe also focuses heavily on national development and international collaboration. He oversaw the mobilization for the construction of the Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre (OMRC). The museum is meant to preserve the history of Nigeria’s oil journey while providing a hub for future innovation. He also took the lead in setting up the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) headquarters in Abuja, after securing the hosting rights for Nigeria.
Actually, the applaudable strides of Engr. Felix Ogbe and the NCDMB are not out of the blues. A statement he made as part of his keynote address at the 2026 Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) in Abuja on February 9, 2026 reveals his true intentions;
“Competence instills confidence in investors, capacity provides certainty in delivery, and collaboration enables African enterprises to unite in leading the continent’s industrial advancement. The future we envision will not materialize by chance; it will be realized through intentional efforts to build capabilities, forge partnerships, and assume leadership on the continental stage.”
As Engr. Ogbe continues with NCDMB toward the remainder of 2026, it becomes obvious that his focus goes beyond national borders. This is proven by his quest for an Africa-wide local content framework and the successful establishment of Nigeria as the headquarters for the Africa Energy Bank. Considering these, he seems to be positioning Nigeria as the continental leader in energy independence by boosting confidence and capacity while fostering collaboration. For the Nigerian oil and gas industry, Engr. Felix Ogbe is not just a regulator; he is the architect of a resilient, self-sustaining future.
Samuel Agboola is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspapers.
