Minister Ekpo Urges Performance-Driven Local Content in Nigeria’s Gas Sector
By Naija Enquirer Staff
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has called for a stronger, performance-driven commitment to local content development in Nigeria’s gas industry.
Speaking at the 9th Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES 2026), Ekpo emphasized that local content implementation must move beyond mere compliance. He urged companies, government, financial institutions, and training organizations to collaborate to strengthen industrial capacity, competitiveness, and sustainable value creation.
“Gas is the cornerstone of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and industrial agenda,” Ekpo said. “Opportunities exist in power generation, clean cooking, fertilizers, petrochemicals, and compressed natural gas. For Nigeria and Africa, gas represents our most immediate, scalable, and inclusive pathway to economic diversification, industrial growth, and shared prosperity.”
The Minister highlighted the need for practical frameworks, measurable outcomes, and scalable models that drive inclusive and sustainable growth. He described natural gas as critical not just for energy security and lower-carbon transition, but as the backbone of industrialization and economic resilience.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry, Permanent Secretary Mrs. Patience Oyekunle stressed the evolution from compliance-driven to performance-driven local content. She outlined four strategic imperatives:
- Strengthening indigenous capability and competitiveness
- Catalyzing technology transfer and innovation
- Expanding high-quality employment
- Deepening in-country value creation and ownership of value chains
Oyekunle urged policymakers to design rules that incentivize capability and performance, industry operators to commit to genuine partnerships and technology transfer, financiers to back indigenous excellence, and local firms to maintain global standards.
Represented by Iren Ikemba, she emphasized that Nigeria’s approach to local content is increasingly focused on execution, outcomes, regional integration, and competitiveness.
The Minister concluded by encouraging robust, solution-oriented deliberations, urging stakeholders to leave the Summit with practical ideas and actionable commitments that drive Nigeria’s gas sector growth and industrial advancement.
