INPG Sénégal: Targets Over 60% Local Content in Hydrocarbons

• The INPG aims to increase Senegal's local content in hydrocarbons to over 60%.
• INPG Director General Fall Mbaye reaffirmed this goal during a partnership signing with Université Gaston-Berger (UGB).
• The agreement will adapt university training, including legal and economic aspects, to energy sector needs.
• The Institut Polytechnique de Saint-Louis (IPSL) will implement the training convention.
• Senegal seeks to become an African hub for energy training and expertise, supported by research and innovation.

This partnership, therefore, represents a critical step in the ongoing effort to maximize national benefits from Senegal's hydrocarbon resources.

The National Institute of Petroleum and Gas (INPG) has articulated a clear ambition to elevate the local content rate in Senegal's hydrocarbon sector to surpass 60%. This significant objective was publicly reaffirmed by Fall Mbaye, the Director General of the INPG, during an event in Saint-Louis. The announcement, initially reported by the Senegalese Press Agency (APS) and subsequently published by SenePlus on Friday, November 6, 2026, underscores a strategic push towards greater national participation in the burgeoning oil and gas industry.

This reaffirmation coincided with the formal signing of a pivotal partnership agreement between the INPG and the Université Gaston-Berger (UGB). The collaboration is designed to strategically align university curricula with the evolving demands of the energy sector, thereby directly contributing to the overarching goal of increasing local content. The initiative reflects a concerted effort to ensure that the benefits of the nation's hydrocarbon resources are increasingly realized through domestic expertise and services, moving towards the ambitious target of over 60% local content in Sénégal hydrocarbures.

A core component of this new agreement involves a comprehensive adaptation of academic programs to cultivate specialized skills required by the oil and gas industry. Beyond the development of highly trained engineers and technicians, the partnership aims to integrate crucial legal and economic dimensions pertinent to petroleum and gas operations directly into university coursework. This holistic approach is intended to produce graduates who are not only technically proficient but also well-versed in the regulatory and financial frameworks governing the sector.

The implementation of this convention will be spearheaded by the Institut Polytechnique de Saint-Louis (IPSL), a key entity within the UGB. Director General Fall Mbaye also expressed a broader vision for Senegal, aiming to solidify its standing as a leading hub for energy training and expertise across the African continent. The INPG currently welcomes students from various African nations, and Mbaye emphasized that this existing momentum must be complemented by robust investment in research and innovation to proactively address the rapid transformations occurring within the global energy landscape. This strategic focus on developing competencies is crucial for the effective implementation of the loi contenu local Sénégal pétrole gaz.

From the perspective of the Université Gaston-Berger, André Faye, the Director of the IPSL, highlighted the partnership's potential to better equip students for the specific energy challenges prevalent in the Saint-Louis region, an area currently experiencing significant project development. Faye stressed the importance of engineering education evolving to fully embrace the opportunities presented by the expansion of oil and gas activities in the country. This forward-looking approach ensures that academic offerings remain relevant and responsive to industry needs.

Professor Magatte Ndiaye, the Rector of the UGB, conveyed strong confidence in the prospective success of this collaborative endeavor, citing the established capabilities and expertise of both the INPG and the UGB. Through this strategic convention, the INPG and UGB are committed to bridging the gap between academic instruction and the practical requirements of the energy sector, thereby fostering the development of national competencies essential for achieving a local content rate that exceeds 60%. This partnership, therefore, represents a critical step in the ongoing effort to maximize national benefits from Senegal's hydrocarbon resources.

Lawyers advising companies in Senegal's hydrocarbon sector should note the INPG's reaffirmed objective to exceed 60% local content. This signals a strong governmental push towards stricter local content compliance, requiring clients to proactively review and adapt their operational strategies, supply chains, and workforce development plans to meet anticipated regulatory changes and avoid potential non-compliance penalties.

Source: Original reporting via SenePlus and APS.