Nigerian Content Development in the Oil and Gas Sector: The Role of the Nigerian Academia

Abstract

Abstract The oil and gas production process is driven by technology. The impact technology plays in the process is such that the oil and gas industry ranks as one of the largest employers of PhDs and also one of the largest investors in Research and Development activities. These have resulted in the industry being also one of the industries with the largest number of expatriates. Countries with large oil and gas deposits have oftentimes relied on International Oil and Gas companies for the exploration of their deposits with the hope that the knowledge and technology will be transferred over time. This has not been the experience in a number of these countries and has caused them to develop deliberate programs and local content development policies to encourage and engage the local populace in the oil and gas production process. For the local content policies to be maximized, local companies must invest in research and development efforts to create value and develop relevant technology as this is the only way they can maximize the oil and gas related contracts. Investment in Research and development is a highly capital intensive and time consuming process and as such it is out of the reach of the local companies. This paper discusses the role of the academia in the development of technology and the local content. It also presents some strategies that can be deployed to engage the Nigerian Academia in the development of the local content in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.