By Ali Elias
The 14th Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Forum concluded in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, after four days of high-level engagement that brought together government officials, regulators, policymakers, and leading players in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry to examine pathways for investment, deepen local capacity, and scale energy production.
Organised by DMG Nigeria Events in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), with the Bayelsa State Government as host, the forum, held from December 1 to 4, 2025, served as a strategic platform for aligning policy direction with industry execution at a time when Nigeria’s energy sector faces both opportunity and transition.
The forum opened with a Welcome Reception hosted by Hobark International Limited, offering delegates a relaxed but purposeful environment to reconnect, exchange ideas, and establish partnerships. The session set the tone for subsequent deliberations, reinforcing the Forum’s reputation as a meeting point for decision-makers and implementers across the Nigerian Content ecosystem.
A major highlight of this year’s edition was the Strategic Forum, which featured a newly introduced Townhall Session that enabled direct engagement between stakeholders and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). The session moved beyond general policy discourse to address specific operational and governance concerns raised by industry participants, including questions on access to the Nigerian Content Equity Fund for research and development startups, the need to reinstate the Quarterly Vessel Categorisation Publication, updates to the Marine Vessel Utilisation List, enforcement of Nigerian Content requirements for large industrial projects, and reforms to human capacity development programmes to ensure employment outcomes. Stakeholders also raised concerns about barriers faced by new entrants, equity requirements for certification, double deductions, data gaps on women-owned businesses, and broader systemic issues affecting transparency, contracting practices, and remuneration across the sector.
The Showcase Arena reinforced Nigeria’s growing industrial capability, with indigenous and international companies displaying a wide range of products, services, and technological solutions. The exhibition provided opportunities for business matchmaking, knowledge exchange, and partnership building, while reaffirming the increasing depth of local content across the industry’s value chain.
Beyond formal sessions, the forum also created space for cultural and social interaction. The Cultural Evening and Gala Dinner, hosted by the Bayelsa State Government, celebrated the state’s rich heritage while fostering informal dialogue among delegates, underscoring Bayelsa’s role as a strategic host and stakeholder in Nigeria’s energy and local content journey.
The forum closed with a Closing Dinner hosted by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), offering a final opportunity for strategic networking and reflection on the conversations and commitments generated over the four-day engagement.
As part of the programme, delegates also undertook a site visit to Collective Power Limited in Port Harcourt, where they toured the company’s 2,300-square-metre facility and examined indigenous manufacturing, testing and design capabilities, including low- and medium-voltage switchgear solutions, prefabricated substations, installations, commissioning, and training services—providing a practical demonstration of Nigerian Content in action.
The 14th PNC Forum was supported by a broad coalition of industry stakeholders, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Ikosh Nigeria Limited, Cakasa, Chevron, Esso Production and Exploration Nigeria, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, Dorman Long, Hobark International Limited, TotalEnergies, Oilserve, Aveon, MG Vowgas Group, Renaissance, among others.
With discussions increasingly shifting from compliance to competitiveness, the 2025 edition reinforced the evolving role of Nigerian Content as both an industrial policy tool and a driver of long-term economic value. Organisers have announced that the 15th Practical Nigerian Content Forum will hold from November 30 to December 3, 2026, as industry stakeholders continue to shape the next phase of local capacity development.