By David Owei

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Tuesday participated actively in the Africa Local Content Programme, a key event at the ongoing Africa Oil Week held in Accra, Ghana.

Africa Oil Week (AOW 2026) is a leading international conference, networking, and exhibition programme focused on Africa’s oil, gas, and upstream energy sector. The event brings together industry leaders, governments, regulators, investors, and service providers to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape the continent’s energy future

The Africa Local Content Programme themed “Building African Capacity, Competitiveness and Collaboration Across the Upstream Value Chain,” was organised in partnership with the NCDMB, the African Union (AU) and the Petroleum Commission Ghana. The programme featured high-level discussions aimed at advancing African capacity, competitiveness and collaboration across the upstream value chain.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe delivered the opening remarks at the event, speaking on the theme, “From Resource Ownership to Industrial Power.”

He was represented by the Director, Corporate Services, NCDMB, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, who highlighted the need for African countries to move beyond resource ownership and focus on building sustainable industrial capacity, creating greater value from their natural resources and positioning African businesses to compete globally.

He stressed that “local content frameworks must promote the development and utilization of African cross border capacities for the industrialization of Africa.”

He further identified local content value proposition to includeresearch and technology development, local employment, strategic partnerships, ownership and control of assets, supply chain optimization, sustainable operations, increase production and utilization of locally made good and contributions to gross domestic product (GDP).

The Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, NCDMB, Mr. Ajimijaye Omomehin, participated in discussions on “Harmonising and Standardising Technology and Policy: Driving Change through the Brazzaville Accord,” which focused on the importance of policy and technology alignment in driving regional energy development.

Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, General Manager, Corporate Communications Division, moderated the session on “Market Entry Insights: Unlocking Africa’s Most Compelling Upstream Opportunities,” while Dr. Hailu joined other industry stakeholders as a panelist to discuss the strategies and enablers that will accelerate investment in Africa’s upstream oil and gas sector. The discussants agreed that local content can be used to attract investments and lower the cost of operations, while Africa oil producers must ensure stability of regulations in their jurisdictions, while taking other steps will attract investment capital.

NCDMB officials also featured in several strategic sessions, contributing the Board’s experience and perspectives on critical issues shaping the future of Africa’s energy industry.

Mr. Erefagha Turner, Assistant Manager Planning, Research and Statistics contributed to discussions on “Unlocking Capital for African Content Growth,” with emphasis on creating financing pathways to support the growth of indigenous businesses across the continent. He described the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund) as a successful financing model that has helped service companies to grow capacities.

Engr. Dokubo Obongo, Manager Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building contributed to the session on “Investing in Talent: Building Africa’s Energy Workforce,” highlighting the importance of skills development and investment in human capital as essential

requirements for building a globally competitive African energy workforce.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Frontline Niger Delta Freedom fighter, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has commended the remarkable industrial development of Azikel Refinery, expressing his admiration for the vision and accomplishments of the President of Azikel Group, Dr. Eruani Azibapu.

Tompolo ,after an extensive tour of the Azikel Refinery facilities and visibly elated by the scale and complexity of the project, declared Eruani as “a leader of the new industrialisation of the Niger Delta, the South-South and Nigeria.”

During the facility tour, Tompolo praised the transformation taking place in Bayelsa and was proud of Azikel Refinery a 25,000 barrel per day, $1 billion US investment. Azikel Refinery is the second largest privately owned refinery in Nigeria, which process condensate and crude oil to produce Petrol, Diesel, Kerosine, Aviation Fuel, Heavy Fuel Oil and LPG.

He said this magnificent investment is a major indigenous industrial development emerging from Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta.

He commended Dr. Eruani for demonstrating that the Niger Delta can move beyond being predominantly a producer of crude oil to becoming a region where its natural resources are processed, refined and transformed into higher-value products.

Tompolo noted that the development of Azikel Refinery represents a new narrative for the Niger Delta—one centred on industrialisation, employment creation, wealth generation, indigenous participation and value addition to Nigeria’s crude oil resources.

He further applauded Dr. Eruani’s determination and entrepreneurial vision, stating that investments of this magnitude have the potential to stimulate wider industrial growth across Bayelsa State, the South-South and Nigeria.

The visit underscored the growing significance of Azikel Refinery, the second largest privately owned refinery in Nigeria an indigenous industrial project aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity while creating economic opportunities within the Niger Delta.

“I am proud of this industrial development that Dr. Eruani Azibapu, CFR, has ignited here in Bayelsa, the Niger Delta, the South South States and Nigeria. This is the kind of development that creates employment, generates wealth and adds value to our crude oil resources,” Tompolo said.

By Uthman Baba -Naseer,Minna

The Inspector General Of Police,IGP Rilwan Olatunji Disu, has condemned in the strongest terms the abduction of over six hundred worshipers at Juma’at Mosque in Dekera village of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The IGP described the incident as painful,unfortunate, and heartlss.

He said the abduction of the worshipers as carried out by the armed men,is the highest level of ungodly as displayed by the armed bandits..

Addressing officers and men of the Niger State Police Command during his one day official working visit to the Command at the Police headquarters in Minna at the Weekend, IGP Olatunji Disu, noted that the armed men have taken their operational activities too far.

He noted that the kidnapping of the worshipers on the 24th, of August 2026, in Dekera village, is a very serious incident that concerned every Nigerians and the country as a whole.

“ I sincerely condemned these attacks in the strongest possible terms. I equally condemned the continued damaging of innocent citizens by these criminal elements whose activities threatened the peace and economic wellbeing and social stability of our communities” he declared.

IGP Olatunji Disu noted further that the activities of the armed bandits on rural communities whose source of lively hoods is farming is being threatened as a result of unwholesome activities of these criminal elements.

“ Wherever they are,we want them to know that what they are doing is wrong. They are targeting innocent citizens,and this is affecting the economic situation of the state, even the country in general” he added.

The IGP,explained that his visit was aimed at strengthening the ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted worshipers while identifying practical measures to address the operational challenges confronting security in the state.

He disclosed that the Police had already deployed tactical and counter-terrorism teams, and the special intervention squad and Explosive Ordinance Personnel (EOD),as part of efforts to rescue the victims in the affected Communities.

He charged officers and men of the Niger State Command to remain vigilant,proactive and professionally committed in the discharge of their duties.

The Police Chief,further urged men and officers of the Command to strengthen Community engagement and intelligence gathering mechanism,stressing the need for credible information capable of preventing attacks to be transmitted promptly to the appropriate operational authorities.

Speaking on the proposed establishment of State Police IGP Rilwan Disu,assured men and officers of the Command,that the establishment of the state Police would not in any way disrupt on-going security operations “ but it could strengthen the capacity and efficiency of security personnel in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Maintaining that the Nigeria Police Force remains the primary Policing institution in the country, with a critical responsibility for the maintenance of internal security.

While acknowledging the sacrifices of Police officers,IGP Disu noted their courage,resilience and commitment to duty remain essential to the collective efforts to secure Niger State and the country.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Police in Niger State,CP Abdullahi Adamu Elleman, appreciated the laudable support received from the IGP since the abduction and the attacks on the Worshipers.

He described Niger State as the largest state with land mass in the country which he said as a result of the landmass it posed a serious challenge to effectively policing the state.

He disclosed that the three Senatorial zones in the state are facing peculiar security challenges which he attributed to the state bordering some neighbouring states which include Zamfara,Kebbi,Kwara,Kogi and FCT.

CP Adamu Elleman commended the IGP for deploying the Assistant Inspector General Of Police in-Charge of Zone 7 AIG Victor Olaiya as a result of the abduction of the Worshipers,stating that his presence in the state,has boosted the morale of the personnel already on the rescue of the victims.