Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — When Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Nigeria’s former president, stepped onto the stage to receive the Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair, NOGOF, in Yenagoa, the applause was thunderous. But it wasn’t just about one man or one prize.
It was a signal that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is in the midst of a quiet but powerful transformation.
Creating a Legacy of Recognition
The awards were conceptualized and co-hosted by SweetCrude Reports, Nigeria’s leading energy news platform, in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB.
With a legacy of investigative and solution journalism, expert analysis, and community engagement, SweetCrude Reports has become a critical bridge between stakeholders, policy drivers, and industry players. The Champions of Nigerian Content Awards is an extension of this legacy, recognizing those advancing excellence and innovation in Nigeria’s oil and gas space.
From Recognition to Responsibility
Among the top honorees was Renaissance Africa Energy, recipient of the Nigerian Content International Upstream Operator of the Year Award. The company’s Managing Director, Tony Attah, who also won the Nigerian Content Icon of the Year, announced Renaissance’s plan to invest $15 billion in 32 projects over five years. His words echoed far beyond the venue.
“I dedicate this award to all oil workers, onshore and offshore, working tirelessly to move Nigeria’s economy forward. For us in Renaissance, it’s a new beginning. Our vision is to be the leader in Africa’s oil and gas, and it’s important that Nigeria leads,” Attah said.
Other corporate winners included Aradel Holdings Plc, honored as Independent Upstream Operator of the Year; NLNG, for Midstream Operator of the Year; Dangote Refinery, for Downstream Operator of the Year; and Dorman Long Engineering Ltd, for Indigenous Service Company of the Year. TechnipFMC was awarded the International Service Company of the Year, while Bank of Industry took home the Nigerian Content Financial Services Provider of the Year.
Notably, ThisDay Newspaper was recognized as the Nigerian Content Media Organization of the Year, a nod to the role of the press in deepening public understanding and accountability in the sector.
Celebrating Diversity, Showcasing Excellence
In total, 12 awards spanned the full oil and gas value chain, upstream, midstream, downstream, services, media, academia, and gender inclusion.
From the research corridors of the University of Nigeria Nsukka came Professor Emenike Ejiogu, recipient of the Innovator of the Year award. After spending 25 years in Japan researching renewable energy, Ejiogu returned to Nigeria to translate that expertise into homegrown innovation.
“We can build Nigeria with Nigerian brains,” he said. “Partnering with NCDMB is enabling us to replicate world-class research here.”
In the realm of gender inclusion, Mrs. Iroghama Ogbeifun of Starsz Gas was awarded for Women in Leadership, recognized for her consistent efforts to empower women and drive inclusive leadership in the energy sector.
Words That Built the Moment
The award also served as a platform to honor foundational figures whose behind-the-scenes efforts made Nigerian Content what it is today.
Speaking, Mr. Hector Igbikiowubo, Editor-in-Chief of SweetCrude Reports, paid tribute to the immediate past Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote; pioneer Executive Secretary, Dr. Ernest Nwapa; Secretary General of APPO, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim and Mr. Wole Akinyosoye, member of the award advisory committee and former DPR Zonal Controller
“It’s not just an event. It is a collective statement that excellence, innovation, and inclusion are the new currency of progress in our oil and gas industry.
“As a media organization rooted in energy reporting, we see firsthand the quiet revolutions taking place across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain. These awards are about amplifying that progress, and holding it up for the world to see,” Igbikiowubo added.
NCDMB seeks deeper localization across midstream, downstream segments
For Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary of NCDMB, the awards were more than ceremonial. They were strategic.
“Local content has moved from aspiration to execution. In 15 years, we’ve grown Nigerian content from 5% to 56%. But this is not the finish line.”
He called for deeper localization across the midstream and downstream segments and placed a renewed emphasis on human capital development.
“No nation achieves energy security by outsourcing its capabilities. Train, mentor, transfer knowledge, this is how we sustain momentum.”
Ogbe also underscored the awards’ transparency, noting that nominees and winners were selected through a verifiable and objective process, confirmed by a credible board of assessors.
“It’s symbolic that this event coincides with the 15th anniversary of the NOGICD Act and is graced by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who signed it into law. It’s also his first official visit to the Nigerian Content Tower, a fitting place to celebrate this legacy.”
A Moment Framed by Legacy and Vision
Speaking, Mr. Wole Akinyosoye, a member of the advisory committee for the awards and former Zonal Operations Controller at the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, highlighted the depth and diversity the awards aimed to capture.
“This occasion is to identify and recognize the champions of Nigerian content. It is further significant because it is happening alongside NOGOF, a premier platform to foster industrial growth, investment, and collaboration.”
He emphasized that the awards are not merely symbolic but are founded on clear, measurable criteria that showcase the depth of achievement across the entire oil and gas value chain.
“Tonight’s 12 categories, collectively, represent the entire value chain of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. They include companies and individuals operating in upstream, midstream, and downstream segments, as well as financial services and media sectors.”
He also spotlighted two special awards, the Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to former President Goodluck Jonathan, and the Icon of the Year, awarded to Mr. Tony Attah.
“The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to a distinguished founding father of Nigerian content development, a thoughtful leader, a nation builder, who signed the Nigerian Content Bill into law,” Akinyosoye said of Jonathan.
He also lauded the decision to host the event within the Nigerian Content Tower, calling the venue “a testament to the uncompromising values and standards of NCDMB.”
Beyond the Stage Lights
Still, beyond the speeches and spotlight moments, the real story lies in the quiet commitments being made across fabrication yards, training centers, and boardrooms.
The Champions of Nigerian Content Awards was not simply about who won, but about what’s next. As Mr. Ogbe summed it:
“Let us build a sustainable oil and gas industry anchored on Nigerian capability, innovation, and resilience.”
With more than 1,000 participants, including IOCs, indigenous operators, regulators, financiers, and the media in attendance, NOGOF 2025 made one thing clear: Nigeria is no longer just a place to dig oil. It is a place to build futures.
SweetCrude Reports’ Commitment
As Nigeria charts the course for energy transition, economic diversification, and local capacity development, SweetCrude Reports remains committed to spotlighting the trailblazers shaping this future. Through initiatives like the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards, the platform continues to elevate the conversations that matter, and the champions who make progress possible.
0 Komentar