The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting cross-border oil and gas trade across Africa through the effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, stated this while delivering a keynote address titled “Application of AfCFTA in the Oil and Gas Industry” at the 2026 AfCFTA Summit. The summit was hosted by the Board in partnership with the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and Legal Concierge.
The event, themed “Unlocking Africa’s Energy Future through AfCFTA,” brought together industry leaders, policymakers, investors, development partners, and other stakeholders from across Africa and the global energy community. It was held recently in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Ogbe traced the origin of AfCFTA to the African Union’s long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2063, noting that regional integration remains central to the continent’s economic aspirations.
“In conceiving Agenda 2063, which gave birth to AfCFTA, the African Union had the overarching objective of fostering regional integration through trade, innovation, and free movement of people and capital,” he said.
He disclosed that Nigeria’s oil and gas industry formally aligned with the AfCFTA framework in 2022, marking a significant step towards integrating the sector into the continental trade ecosystem.
According to Ogbe, the implementation of AfCFTA within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is anchored on three key pillars designed to strengthen local capacity, enhance regional competitiveness, and expand market access across African borders.
He added that effective deployment of the AfCFTA framework would position African energy companies to collaborate more efficiently, reduce barriers to trade, and drive sustainable growth within the continent’s oil and gas value chain.
