Operators in the petroleum sector are pushing for free movement of people and goods across Africa, alongside faster contract cycles, to supercharge the continent’s energy development.
These calls came at the just-concluded 10th anniversary edition of the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC 2026), in Lagos under the theme “Africa’s Local Content Collaboration Strategy.”
Speaking in a panel session, chairman of Oilserv Group, Dr. Emeka Okwuosa, said, “On the government side, to talk about regional collaboration, we need free movement. I understand that the African Local Content Organisation (ALCO) team will be visiting the African Union (AU). I think one point that should be raised with the leaders of AU is to make the business free, so we can allow free movement and collaboration.”
Okwuosa, represented by the managing director of Frazimex Engineering, Chuka Eze, urged Africa Union leaders to prioritise business-friendly policies, including standardised regulations across nations to ease cross-border partnerships.
He highlighted Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Decade of Gas initiative as executable models, noting Oilserv’s key role in delivering major projects like the OB3 gas pipeline and treatment plant—the largest in Nigeria at 124 km and 48 inches—as well as the ongoing AKK pipeline and gas lines to six independent power plants.
Okwuosa also stressed capacity building, community engagement, and innovation, calling on international oil companies to award more jobs to indigenous firms and slash approval times from years to six months.
“Also, we need policies. We already have policies in place in Nigeria. Let’s try to standardise it across African nations to ease collaboration in those areas.
“One of the initiatives coming out, stemming from the PIA, the Domestic Decade of Gas, which is very clear and very executable, and Oilserv is playing a significant role in delivering the projects for the Decade of Gas.”
That’s on the government side.”
Okwuosa added that “Before now, Oilserv is saddled with the responsibility to execute complex projects and pipeline infrastructure. Just to, for the benefit of those who are not aware of these complex projects that we have as a company executed. We have executed one of the largest gas treatment plants within the OB3 project.
“The OB3 project is a 124-kilometre gas pipeline, 48 inches, the largest in Nigeria. Plus, the gas treatment plant has the capacity to process two litres of gas per day. And that facility is currently within the scope of gas as we speak.
“We have also been involved in the AKK, which is ongoing, another significant complex project that is 40 inches by 304 kilometres per second, one that we are responsible for. And the design and construction of the pipeline have been completed as of December.
“We have been involved in constructing and building gas pipelines to independent power plants, six of them individually, including the geometric power plant that was commissioned last year by the Vice President and is currently promoting industrialisation in the country. Within Lagos, we have built and constructed and installed cumulatively 200 kilometres of gas pipelines.”
On another development, Okwuosa added that the place for capacity development as well as community relations cannot be overemphasised.
Noting that “We have leveraged on capacity development. We have also leveraged on training and partnership. For the OB3 that I mentioned, when we installed or constructed that, one of the main processes of the pipeline construction is welding. We use the manual welding system to install that.
“And we are able to achieve that with the partnership of the OB3 and provide training to our people. We have also leveraged the communities, collaborating with them to empower them and involve them, as well as educating them about our processes and projects.
“That, in turn, has given some useful environment to execute and not affect the project execution. In technology and innovation, we have also deployed technologies like the Horizontal Directional Drilling, HDD. And first of all, it is because they have been trainers in this industry, making sure that the human resources get the right training modules, the right skills that are relevant to this industry.”
On the operators, he called for more projects to be allotted to indigenous operators, adding that “What we need from you is to give us more jobs. Get your FID on time and reduce the contract cycle from one year or three years to as soon as possible within six months.”
He lauded Total Energy, NLNG, Renaissance for their continued support to grow indigenous EPC companies.
Other speakers on the panel session included the vice president, Africa – NOV, Arthur Ename; CEO and managing director – AOS Orwell; Akeem Ariyo; general manager, Nigeria Content Development -Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Lanre Olawuyi; president – Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN), Chris Osarumwense; and deputy general manager – Nigerian Content – TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Cyprian Ojum.
SOURCE: LEADERSHIP NEWS PAPER
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