A concerned group under the Nigerian Local Content Conference (NLCC) has called on the federal government to deepen local participation in the oil and gas sector by granting oil-producing states concessions to acquire oil blocks in the forthcoming 2026 bid rounds.
The group also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve a 20 per cent equity allocation for Nigerians per state in the 50 oil blocks expected to be offered in the 2026 oil block licensing rounds.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the Convener of NLCC and Africa Commodities Conference and Exhibition (ACCE), Michael Akueche, said the proposal is aimed at promoting genuine local content, empowerment, and inclusion in the oil and gas value chain.
He explained that the request includes granting oil-producing states stakes in oil blocks up for bid, as well as allocating 20 per cent equity holdings to host communities in the Niger Delta and other oil-bearing areas.
According to him, the initiative would help address long-standing grievances over exclusion from ownership and decision-making in the extractive industry.
Akueche said the proposal is anchored on improving social justice and economic prosperity, noting that Nigeria’s oil-producing communities have continued to bear environmental and economic burdens without commensurate participation in upstream opportunities.
Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), he said about 133 million Nigerians representing 63 per cent of the population are living in multidimensional poverty, adding that oil-producing states are not exempt from this reality.
He also urged government attention to the solid minerals sector, calling for youth participation through cooperative structures in northern Nigeria to ensure broader inclusion in mineral resource development.
Akueche argued that incorporating more Nigerians into ownership of oil and gas assets would help reduce widespread poverty and strengthen economic empowerment.
He further called on the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to ensure that host communities and youths were deliberately included in future licensing rounds and marginal field allocations.
Referring to the 50 oil blocks advertised for competitive bidding in the 2026 licensing round, he noted that while foreign investors are positioning for participation, many indigenous communities remain unorganised and excluded from structured engagement.
He described the situation as a persistent gap in Nigeria’s extractive governance system, where communities that bear the impact of oil exploration are often left out of ownership and benefit structures.
