Nigeria’s local content is entering a new chapter. Upstream investment is rising, driven by major projects like Shell’s $2 billion HI Field and the $5 billion Bonga North project; local operators are taking over divested assets; and other African nations are looking to replicate Nigeria’s success. With 61% local content already achieved under the current Nigerian Content Strategic Roadmap (2017–2027), and the country working toward its 70% target, attention is turning to how this progress can be sustained and deepened over the next decade. This progress also brings critical questions into focus: what capacity gaps remain, and what priorities should shape Nigerian Content implementation beyond 2027?
As the next phase of Nigerian Content development takes shape, the Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Forum returns for its landmark 15th edition, from 30 November to 3 December 2026 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, under the theme “Defining Strategic Priorities for the Next Decade of Nigerian Content Implementation.” Organised by dmg Nigeria events in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Forum will bring together government, regulators, operators and indigenous businesses to define the strategic priorities that will guide Nigerian Content implementation beyond the current Roadmap.
Speaking on this year’s theme, Wemimo Oyelana, Portfolio & Country Director, dmg Nigeria events, said: “Fifteen years of Nigerian Content implementation have demonstrated what sustained policy, regulatory commitment and industry collaboration can achieve. As the current Roadmap approaches its conclusion, the conversation must now move beyond measuring progress to defining what the next decade requires. PNC 2026 provides a platform for stakeholders to collectively shape those priorities, from funding and project delivery to the policy frameworks needed to sustain and deepen this progress”.
The Forum will focus on four priorities considered critical to the next phase of Nigerian Content implementation: Mobilising Capital, Project Opportunities, Advancing Nigerian Content, and Policy & Legislation. Discussions will examine how improved access to capital, stronger financial partnerships and innovative financing solutions can support indigenous companies to compete, scale and deliver increasingly complex projects; how stronger collaboration, greater visibility of procurement strategies and supplier development initiatives can unlock commercial opportunities across the energy value chain; the policies, investment priorities and strategies required to advance Local Content , strengthen competitiveness, close capacity gaps and accelerate industrialisation; and how legislation and regulatory frameworks can adapt to emerging opportunities, shifting market dynamics, technological advancements and investor expectations while enabling investment, strengthening compliance and supporting sustainable growth in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Strategic Forum will feature five formats built to translate dialogue into accountability. Strategic Leadership Panels will bring together CEOs, government leaders and decision-makers to address the policies, investments and partnerships shaping Nigeria’s energy value chain. Executive Debates will put senior industry leaders head-to-head on critical issues, bringing diverse perspectives and practical solutions to the forefront. The Town Hall session will offer an interactive forum for government, regulators and industry to address challenges, review progress and seek clarity on policy and compliance. Breakout Sessions will enable focused, sector-specific discussions, bringing together stakeholders to tackle priority challenges and identify actionable solutions. A dedicated Local Content Impact Stage will provide a platform for major announcements, MoU signings and partnerships with the potential to translate dialogue into measurable industry impact.
Distinguished speakers and participants include Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB); Elohor Aiboni, EVP & Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria; Matthieu Bouyer, Country Chairman & MD, TotalEnergies Nigeria; Jim Swartz, Chairman & MD, Chevron Nigeria Mid-Africa Business Unit; Jagir Baxi, Chairman & MD, ExxonMobil Affiliates in Nigeria; Engr. Wole Ogunsanya FNSE, Chairman, PETAN; Engr. Chris Osarumwense, President, Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN); and senior NCDMB directors.
As Nigeria’s local content journey approaches this critical inflection point, PNC 2026 will not only take stock of fifteen years of progress, but also provide a platform for industry and government to help define the priorities, partnerships and policy direction that will shape the next decade of implementation.