Local content development in the Nigerian oil and gas industry : why it is not succeeding?

Abstract

This research focuses on human capacity development in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The need for local capacity building in this industry is imperative because oil and gas proceeds are the major source of foreign exchange earnings for the country. Oil has been exploited in Nigeria for over five decades and there is still relatively poor local participation and hence the need for this research. The idea is to encourage local participation so as to promote economic growth and industrial development. This research identifies reasons for the ineffective implementation of the Nigerian content policy and will develop a framework that will address holistically the factors needed to ensure industrial growth through proper implementation and particular attention is paid to specific factors that enhance participation of local firms in the oil and gas industry. The experience of Norway will be used as a case study to demonstrate the means by which they were able to achieve domestically based industrial competence while exploiting their petroleum resources and also the necessary conditions that was in place that encouraged proper exploitation of their resources.