Nigeria and Ghana are joining forces to drive African capacity development through a landmark initiative — the Africa Local Content Forum — set to launch in 2025.
The initiative, a collaborative effort between the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Ghana’s Petroleum Commission, and AOW:Energy, is aimed at accelerating job creation, fostering inclusive workforce participation, and expanding regional prosperity through African-led local content development.
At the core of the alliance are three institutional leaders: Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, executive secretary of NCDMB; Ms. Emeafa Hardcastle, CEO of Ghana’s Petroleum Commission; and Mr. Paul Sinclair, CEO of AOW:Energy. Together, they are championing what they describe as “a shared mission to catalyze African capacity and content inter-regionally.”
“We believe in an Africa where value is created, retained, and celebrated within our own borders,” the partners said in a joint declaration. “This partnership is a unified step toward building a continent where African content is not the exception, but the standard.”
They emphasized that the forum will serve as a catalyst for wealth creation and sustainable prosperity by promoting homegrown talent and enterprise. “Value addition and local participation is critical to seeing prosperity from end to end in the development of natural resources,” the leaders said.
According to them, the Africa Local Content Forum is being designed as a purpose-driven platform that goes beyond policy discussions to deliver “actionable strategies, policy alignment, and real-world progress.”
“After more than a decade of major oil and gas discoveries across Africa, the continent is uniquely positioned to secure regional energy supply and export internationally,” the partners said. “We believe in the vision of African capacity taking part in the end-to-end value chain to ensure private sector development, job creation, and sustainable growth.”
Mr. Paul Sinclair, CEO of AOW:Energy, described the planned forum as a transformative opportunity for the continent. “This is the Africa we believe in — bold, visionary, united,” Sinclair said. “The Africa Local Content Forum will be a defining moment where African institutions claim the future with confidence and collective strength.”
The forum will be launched during AOW:Energy 2025 and is expected to become the continent’s premier platform for advancing local content policies, showcasing African enterprises, and transforming regional potential into tangible results.
“With this tripartite collaboration, NCDMB, the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, and AOW:Energy are declaring: this is Africa’s moment — and we will build the Africa we want with a united voice of progress and unity,” the statement concluded.
