Former President Goodluck Jonathan says Nigeria’s landmark oil and gas local content law was inspired by China’s success in developing a strong indigenous petroleum industry.
Jonathan made the disclosure during the SweetCrude Dialogue 2026 at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where he reflected on the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, and its impact over the past 16 years.
He explained that the idea for the legislation emerged after a visit to China while he served as deputy governor of Bayelsa State. According to him, he was impressed by the country’s reliance on locally manufactured equipment, technology and skilled manpower in its oil industry, prompting him to question why Nigeria remained heavily dependent on foreign expertise despite being an oil-producing nation.
Jonathan said the local content law was designed to reverse that trend by increasing Nigerian participation across the oil and gas value chain. He noted that the legislation has since delivered economic benefits to the country and oil-producing communities, while praising the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for becoming a key driver of investment and industry growth.
Representing the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, the board’s Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Esueme Kikile, said Nigeria’s local content level has risen from less than five per cent in 2010 to 61 per cent in 2026.
He said the board has strengthened local capacity through graduate training programmes, technical certification initiatives and investments in strategic infrastructure. According to him, projects such as the Nigerian Content Tower, the Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre, the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme, the Brass Shipyard and gas infrastructure projects are helping to retain more industry value within Nigeria.
In his keynote address, Professor Ibibia Worika of the Centre for Advanced Law Research at Rivers State University said the oil industry has shaped Nigeria’s economy for seven decades but has also left the Niger Delta with severe environmental challenges.
He called for greater attention to environmental justice, stressing that sustainable development in the region depends on addressing the long-term impact of oil exploration on host communities.
