The session will take place against the backdrop of Senegal and Mauritania’s roll out of new, structured regulatory frameworks designed to maximize domestic participation ahead of first-gas milestones and major project commissioning across the basin.

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Senegal’s 2022 local content law remains a central driver of market reform, setting a target of 50% local content by 2030 and requiring international operators to unbundle large contracts to enable SME participation. Companies must submit detailed employment and procurement plans and report metrics to operational body the Secrétariat Technique du Comité National de Suivi du Contenu Local (ST-CNSL), which oversees compliance and manages the Local Content Development Fund to strengthen domestic suppliers.

Mauritania, meanwhile, has enacted Law No. 2024-045, introducing mandatory hiring, procurement and reporting obligations for international operators and embedding local companies into the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG development value chain. The Gambia’s government is also advancing early-stage frameworks, integrating local content requirements into licensing agreements to attract responsible investment.

As such, the session will explore the expanding role of national and regional institutions in delivering industry-ready talent and competitive supply chains. Senegal’s Institut National du Pétrole et du Gaz (INPG) continues to scale technical and vocational training programs to meet international standards while the ST-CNSL leads monitoring, enforcement and SME capacity building. International operators – including MODEC Senegal, involved in the Sangomar development, and industrial players such as SEPCO Industries – are integrating local suppliers into their operations. At the regional level, the African Local Content Organization is advancing continental harmonization of local content principles, fostering shared standards across African petroleum markets.

International partnerships remain central to technology transfer and knowledge development. Operator-led programs such as Kosmos Energy’s Mauritania Innovation Challenge are equipping young entrepreneurs with tools to join the energy value chain, while collaboration with universities and technical and vocational education and training centers is aligning curricula with sector demands. Joint ventures, supplier development programs and global best-practice exchanges – supported in part by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation – continue to strengthen local capabilities in engineering, logistics, procurement and advanced operational functions.

“Local content is becoming a defining pillar of the MSGBC basin’s energy future, and this session will provide clarity on how new regulations are reshaping project delivery and investor participation. As major developments come online, understanding the real cost – and real opportunity – of local content will be essential for driving inclusive growth and long-term regional value creation,” states Sandra Jeque, Event and Project Director, Energy Capital & Power.

The Real Cost of Local Content: Balancing Investor Dependence and Ensuring Inclusive Local Participation panel session will feature the participation of Dr. Fall Mbaye, General Manager, INPG; Mor Bakhoum, Technical Secretary, ST-CNSL Senegal; Fatou Diop, Legal, Contracts and Local Content Manager, MODEC Senegal; Malick Ndoye, Country Manager, SEPCO Industries; and Ibrahima Talla, Executive Secretary, African Local Content Organization.