GNPC Champions Enhanced African Supplier Capacity at CECLA 2025
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing local supplier capacity across the continent’s oil and gas value chain, advocating for intensified collaboration among African National Oil Companies (NOCs).
This message was delivered at the 4th African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Conference & Exhibition on Local Content (CECLA 2025), held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, from 4–7 November 2025. The high-profile event, co-organized by APPO in partnership with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo, the Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), was held under the High Patronage of H.E. Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the GNPC Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the APPO NOCs CEOs Forum, Mrs. Jennifer Boateng, the Corporation’s Advisor for General Services, highlighted the pivotal role of NOCs in proactively nurturing African suppliers and maximizing local value retention.
Mrs. Boateng emphasized GNPC's perspective, defining local content as “a shared journey toward competitiveness and excellence.” She challenged NOCs to transition from purely compliance-driven local content strategies to models anchored in partnership, skills transfer, and long-term capacity development.
Mrs. Boateng highlighted GNPC’s practical steps, including the recent Vendor Engagement Seminar. This initiative successfully convened suppliers, regulators, and GNPC’s technical teams to enhance transparency, address compliance complexities, and facilitate targeted capacity building among local enterprises, an effort reflecting GNPC’s dedication to continuous supplier capability strengthening.
Addressing the key panel theme, "The NOCs’ Support for Promoting Local Suppliers of Goods and Services,” she emphasized regional integration as more than just a beneficial idea; it is a vital competitive advantage for the continent’s energy sector. This vision urges African National Oil Companies (NOCs) to strategically pool resources and coordinate efforts across borders. Specifically, GNPC advocated for the creation of shared supplier databases to improve visibility and cross-border contracting opportunities for local companies. This should be supported by adopting harmonized certification standards to ensure consistent quality and operational excellence, making compliance easier for suppliers working in multiple countries. Lastly, establishing joint technology incubation hubs is crucial to promote indigenous innovation and collective skills development. These combined measures are designed to boost Africa’s overall standing, increase resilience, and strengthen its competitiveness in global energy supply chains.
Throughout CECLA 2025, GNPC's exhibition booth served as a major focal point, attracting significant engagement from delegates keen to explore the Corporation’s supplier development initiatives and its broader vision for sustainable energy value creation.
GNPC’s active participation at CECLA 2025 further reinforces its recognized thought leadership within APPO and its unwavering commitment to cultivating local enterprises into globally competitive players in Africa’s rapidly evolving energy sector.