The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has disclosed that Nigeria attracted more than $10 billion in international oil and gas investments and projects over the past three years, attributing the development to policy reforms, targeted incentives and improved local content implementation.

The Board said recent reforms, including Executive Orders introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and interventions by key industry regulators, had strengthened investor confidence, improved the competitiveness of Nigeria’s petroleum industry and facilitated major Final Investment Decisions (FIDs).

The General Manager, Corporate Communications of NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, disclosed this on Wednesday at a Strategic Leadership Roundtable Briefing during the 2026 ADIPEC Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he represented the Executive Secretary of the Board, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe.

The high-level roundtable, themed “Delivering the Energy the World Needs: Recalibrating Upstream Projects,” brought together 21 global industry leaders to examine investment opportunities, project financing, delivery challenges and strategies for achieving sustainable growth in the global energy industry.

Speaking at the engagement, Ezeobi highlighted the role of Nigerian content policies and institutional collaboration in positioning Nigeria as an increasingly attractive destination for international oil and gas investments.

He outlined NCDMB’s mandate to develop indigenous human and material capacities, ensure compliance with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act and facilitate investments across the country’s oil and gas value chain.

According to him, the over $10 billion in investments and projects recorded within three years reflects the combined impact of targeted government incentives, policy adjustments and strategic interventions by industry institutions, particularly NCDMB, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).

He explained that sustained engagements between NCDMB and industry stakeholders, especially operating companies, had also helped address investment bottlenecks, facilitate project development and create conditions for major FIDs.

Among the Board’s interventions credited with revitalising investment activities, Ezeobi highlighted the revised Nigerian Content Contracting Guidelines, which have streamlined project approval processes and improved contracting efficiency.

He also identified the Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate (NCEC) Guidelines as a significant reform designed to eliminate non-performing intermediary companies from industry operations while enabling Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to provide services directly for deepwater projects.

The initiatives, he noted, are intended to improve operational efficiency, reduce unnecessary layers in the contracting process and strengthen the participation of competent indigenous companies in major industry projects.

Inviting more international operating and service companies to invest in Nigeria, Ezeobi assured prospective investors of the Board’s commitment to balancing international participation with the development of indigenous capabilities.

“NCDMB will continue to support an environment in which international investments thrive alongside Nigerian enterprise, where technology transfer leads to stronger domestic capability and major projects create opportunities for local manufacturing, value addition and companies can compete beyond our borders,” he said.

The Nigerian delegation at the roundtable included the Managing Director of NNPC E&P Limited, Mr. Nicolas Foucart, and the Managing Director of NNPC 18 Operating Limited, Ms. Ibiyemi Asaolu.

Discussions at the engagement also focused on investment opportunities, strategies for navigating complex operating environments and approaches to sustaining long-term industry growth and economic development.

Participants recommended practical measures to diversify upstream financing sources, accelerate field assessments, strengthen project delivery mechanisms, increase hydrocarbon recovery and build a more resilient energy future.

Beyond its participation in the leadership roundtable, NCDMB used the 2026 ADIPEC Conference to showcase Nigeria’s local content framework and engage international stakeholders on investment opportunities across the country’s oil and gas industry.

The Board established an exhibition booth at the conference, where its officials explained Nigerian content requirements and processes to global industry players, while engaging prospective investors and service providers interested in participating in the Nigerian market.

Among prominent Nigerian stakeholders who visited the exhibition stand were the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Engr. Wole Ogunsanya.

During his visit, Lokpobiri challenged NCDMB to deepen collaboration with key institutions across Nigeria’s oil and gas industry to establish a more prominent and coordinated Nigerian presence at major international petroleum conferences.

He urged the Board and its industry partners to use such platforms to project Nigeria’s investment opportunities, showcase the capabilities of indigenous companies and reinforce the country’s attractiveness to international investors.

The ADIPEC engagement provided an opportunity for Nigerian industry institutions and global energy leaders to exchange perspectives on the changing investment landscape and explore collaborative approaches to meeting growing energy demand while promoting sustainable development.

For Nigeria, the NCDMB said, the combination of regulatory reforms, improved contracting processes, local capacity development and stronger engagement with international investors remains central to attracting capital, accelerating upstream project execution and expanding indigenous participation in the petroleum industry.