The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has intensified efforts to attract Chinese investment, manufacturing capacity and technology into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, engaging more than 100 Chinese Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Chengdu, China.

The engagement formed part of the Board’s and Nigeria’s oil and gas industry’s participation in the 15th China Shale Oil and Gas Summit, held from September 20 to 23, 2026, at the Chengdu Century City International Conference Centre.

The summit, themed “Empowering Efficient and Green Development via Intelligent Technologies, Innovating to Lead the Shale Oil and Gas Revolution,” provided a platform for NCDMB and representatives of key industry groups to present Nigeria’s local content framework and highlight investment opportunities in manufacturing, technology and oil and gas services.

Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Director, Project Certification and Authorization Division (PCAD) and Senior Technical Adviser to the Executive Secretary, Engr. Austin Uzoka, delivered a keynote address on the first day titled “Nigeria’s Local Content Journey and Opportunities for Chinese Collaboration in Oil and Gas Equipment Manufacturing.”

Uzoka said the Board was seeking to transform the relationship between Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and Chinese manufacturers from a conventional buyer-seller arrangement into deeper partnerships involving investment, manufacturing, technology transfer and integration into global supply chains.

“We are looking beyond the traditional buyer-seller relationship. What can we build together? We want Chinese companies to see Nigeria not simply as a market for their products, but as a strategic investment destination, a platform for manufacturing and technology development, and a gateway to opportunities across the wider African market,” he said.

He identified the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS) as a major platform for industrial investment, encouraging Chinese OEMs to establish manufacturing, assembly and service operations in Nigeria.

According to him, such investments would create opportunities for technology transfer, technical arrangements and the integration of Nigerian businesses into the supply chains of Chinese manufacturers.

Uzoka also pointed to China’s established capabilities in manufacturing, engineering, technology and energy infrastructure as an opportunity to accelerate Nigeria’s industrial development.

“China has developed tremendous capabilities in manufacturing, engineering, technology and energy infrastructure. We want to explore how those capabilities can be connected with the opportunities that exist in Nigeria, for mutual benefits,” he added.

On Nigeria’s local content development, Uzoka said the agenda had evolved considerably since the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act in 2010.

“Nigeria’s local content journey has evolved significantly since the Local Content Law was enacted in year 2010. What began primarily as an effort to increase Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry has developed into a broader industrial development agenda focused on building capabilities, deepening manufacturing, promoting technology ownership and positioning Nigerian businesses to compete within regional and global markets,” he observed.

The second day of the summit featured a Business-to-Business (B2B) session organised by NCDMB, attracting more than 100 Chinese equipment manufacturers and Nigerian oil and gas industry stakeholders.

The session focused on opportunities in local manufacturing, supply-chain integration, investment, technology development and market access.

Representatives of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), led by Mr. Sylvester Ovunwese, participated in the session alongside representatives of Project 100, including Mrs. Olateju Oyelakun of Encapsulate Nigeria Limited and Mr. Namdi Akudulu of Wider Energy.

Renaissance African Energy Company was represented by its General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Engr. Olarenwaju Lanre Olawuyi, who made a presentation on behalf of the company and the Oil Producing Trade Session (OPTS).

The B2B engagement enabled Nigerian companies to showcase their capabilities, while Chinese manufacturers explored prospects for market entry, local production and technical cooperation.

The engagement subsequently generated significant interest among participating Chinese OEMs, several of which expressed willingness to explore business relationships with Nigerian companies and participate in the country’s expanding oil and gas manufacturing ecosystem.

In her closing remarks, the General Manager, Midstream, PCAD, Ms Lekoma Phimia, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the engagement and urged participants to build on the connections established during the session to develop commercially viable and sustainable business relationships.

NCDMB’s participation also extended to the exhibition floor, where its booth attracted visitors, industry players and prospective investors seeking information on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, local content opportunities and avenues for establishing business operations in the country.

The Chengdu programme underscores NCDMB’s efforts to expand Nigeria’s international industrial connections while advancing the objectives of the NOGICD Act.

Through stronger links between Nigerian businesses and global manufacturers and technology providers, the Board is seeking to advance the local content agenda beyond participation towards capability development, manufacturing, technology ownership and regional competitiveness.