In an industry long dominated by foreign players and offshore procurement, Seplat Energy stands out as a leading force in championing local content participation in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Since the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, our investigation at Bavijas Consulting shows that Seplat has not only aligned with its objectives but has gone further to demonstrate what true localization should look like in practice.
Seplat is helping to reverse historical losses
Before the NOGICD Act, Nigeria lost an estimated $380 billion and 2 million jobs due to the offshoring of procurement and services.
But Seplat’s commitment to local content directly addresses this historical imbalance.
The leading Nigerian indigenous oil producer has over the last fifteen years built local capacities and awarded contracts to Nigerian entities, helping to reclaim economic value once lost to foreign jurisdictions.
Seplat’s workforce is highly nationalised
Since its inception in 2010, Seplat has created over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.
According to its 2018 local content report reviewed by Bavijas, Seplat Energy has successfully built a workforce that is 99% Nigerian, with 80% of top management roles held by citizens.
This is something that has never happened in the pre-2010 industry landscape, where most technical and managerial positions were occupied by expatriates.
Local contractors are empowered
Seplat’s contractor base is 98% Nigerian, and since 2013, the company has awarded over $1 billion in contracts to local firms.
This direct injection into the domestic economy helps retain value within Nigeria and reduces the capital flight that plagued the sector in previous decades.
Again, since 2014, more than 300 contractors have received training, with 40% of host community contractors gaining critical technical skills. This approach not only boosts employment but strengthens the local supply chain and promotes inclusive economic development.
These figures portray a key role that Seplat plays not just in energy production, but also in socio-economic development.
In a sector that contributes 9% to Nigeria’s GDP, yet accounts for over 77% of government revenue and 97.7% of exports, the company’s local content strategy offers a blueprint for sustainable national benefit.
Sincerely speaking, other players in Nigeria’s oil sector have a lot of lessons to learn from Seplat.
Seplat is a dominant local oil and gas player
It is important to note here that Seplat is the biggest indigenous contributor to Nigeria’s oil output. As of Q1 2025, it produced nearly 100,000 b/d of oil, followed by Aiteo, Heirs Energies, and Oando Plc.
The company, dual-listed on both the Nigerian stock exchange (NGX) and the London stock exchange (LSE), says it currently accounts for 30% of Nigeria’s domestic gas supply.
Moreso, it is already on track to grow its gas processing capacity in the country to 850 million scuffs daily by the end of 2025, through key projects like Oben (Delta), Sapele (Delta) and Anoh (Imo).