Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) is urging a greater focus on building and using homegrown technology to strengthen local involvement in the country’s oil and gas sector.
During a panel session at the 2025 NOG Energy Week, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Olakunle Osobu, emphasized that technology plays a central role in the energy industry and must be adapted to reflect Nigeria’s unique needs and identity. He said that while the industry depends heavily on technological innovation, real progress requires simplifying and localizing these tools so they’re accessible to every Nigerian.
Osobu explained that no country has advanced by depending solely on foreign technology or learning in a foreign language. He proposed writing software in local languages and designing tools that reflect the realities of Nigerians, which would foster true ownership and deeper integration of technology into the economy.
He also stressed the need for policies that treat technological advancement as a national priority. For him, domestication should begin with making tech inclusive and understandable, particularly for those with basic reading and writing skills.
To illustrate NLNG’s commitment, Osobu cited the company’s ongoing Train 7 project, where Nigerian professionals make up the majority of contractors, including top leadership. He said this was made possible through previous collaboration with international partners and consistent investment in local talent, supported by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
He also highlighted that Nigerian professionals are now highly sought after in the global energy industry, adding that this expertise should be used to support other African countries discovering oil, rather than relying on the West.
As an example of local innovation, Osobu mentioned the African keyboard, which allows digital communication in native languages. He sees such tools as stepping stones toward building a uniquely African technological identity.
Osobu concluded by affirming NLNG’s dedication to working with stakeholders to ensure that local knowledge and innovations become central to Nigeria’s future in the gas sector and beyond.
