As the Republic of Congo’s LNG capacity accelerates following its first export in February 2024, African industry leaders have underscored the role of local and regional capability building in sustaining growth, driving domestic utilization and enhancing intra-African trade.

Panelists at the “Building Local & Regional Capability” discussion at the Congo Energy & Investment Forum on Wednesday emphasized that the strength of Congo’s LNG sector depends not just on advanced technology and capital, but on investing in local talent and scalable systems.

“In order for the industry to grow, we have to develop our skillsets. Our people are underutilized and underdeveloped,” said Yolanda Asumu, CEO & Founder of iCUBEFARM, calling for targeted industry training and scalable local content systems that meet the evolving needs of the private sector. “I encourage organizations like APPO to create a platform that connects member states with statistics on the jobs available and the skills required, which can fuel the education system to know what kind of training is needed.”

Addressing the crucial role of local content in maximizing national benefits from LNG projects, Dr. Bi-Dia-Ayo Ibata, Head of Associations Division and Supervisory Relations at Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), highlighted the importance of aligning industrial growth with community development. She elaborated on how strategic initiatives are designed to enhance domestic capacity and promote technology transfer.

“SNPC has identified sectors for valorization, which is the local gas market for industries, cement plants and so forth, and the secondary market to export. While exports are a main pillar of the Congo LNG project to generate revenues for the government, the ultimate objective is to transfer competencies from IOCs to the local communities.”

Emphasizing the potential for regional synergies and capacity building in the gas sector, Oumar Semega, CEO & Founder of Imperatus Energy, detailed how integrating local markets with cross-border cooperation and innovative technology can unlock substantial opportunities in Africa’s energy landscape.

“There are possibilities for synergies within the supply chain for Congo, as a gas exporting country, beyond what we can do in the local market… Collaboration and technology – all of this is possible."

“We must have a common vision. Competition is good, but we must share knowledge, support each other and bring our strengths together. If one business succeeds, then that knowledge can be transferred,” echoed Nosayaba Evbuomwan, Executive & Associate Director at Accenture.

The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, taking place March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the highest patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, brings together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities.