( CNN ) -- Nigeria is Africa 's top oil producer , with exports worth $ 59 billion last year , but the industry has long been dominated by foreign players . Overseas corporations , with a multinational workforce , have traditionally been chosen to carry out drilling operations , but one company bucking the trend is Seawolf Oilfield Services , Nigeria 's only offshore drilling contractor . CNN 's Robyn Curnow sat down with Adolor Uwamu , CEO of Seawolf , to discuss the challenges of doing business in Nigeria and competing with the big boys of oil production . CNN : You 're one of the few African players in this business in Nigeria -- why is that ? Adolor Uwamu : It 's a capital intensive business -- a business of high complexity -- and drilling rigs cost quite a bit of money . It 's a business that has been controlled and operated by , I would say , about five to seven global players worldwide who operate in different regions of the world but mostly American and European . CNN : Why did you start ( Seawolf ) ? Surely there are easier ways to make money ? AU : Because there was an opportunity for Nigerians to get into the business . Nigeria is the seventh or eighth-largest producer of oil in the world . It 's the major industry in Nigeria and Nigerians are not actively in the business . We 're not involved in the business at the sufficient level that we should be . For the last 40 years oil and gas drilling in Nigeria has been undertaken by the global players . CNN : Has the Nigerian government now said : `` Listen , we need more local people in our industries ? '' AU : The Nigerian government has greatly encouraged the participation of local players in the industry across the spectrum of services . Not just in drilling but in other services in the oil and gas business . That encouragement is providing the environment for Nigerians to increase their skills and increase their participation , which has overall benefits for the economy . CNN : But it 's still about the private sector actually financing this and actually fueling this opportunity is n't it ? The government can only do so much . AU : That is correct , the government will provide the enabling environment which is what they 're doing , but they need the participation and cooperation of the private sector to finance the participation in the industry . CNN : What for you is the biggest challenge ? AU : The biggest challenges for us has been developing the talent that is required at that global level . CNN : So there 's just not enough skilled Nigerians to work on your oil rigs ? AU : There are not enough skilled Nigerians in general in the oil and gas industry , which is the issue that the government is trying to correct by encouraging and putting in place the enabling environment to increase the Nigerian participation . The reason why there 's not been sufficient Nigerian involvement is because historically there 's a lot of transfer of talent globally from the more established Western countries working in Nigeria . The result of that over years is not enough participation by Nigerians in the industry . CNN : Do you think Nigeria has failed to capitalize on the opportunities oil could have offered ordinary Nigerians ? AU : I would n't agree with that , I would say that we 've been less than optimal in our management over oil resources but we have n't missed the boat . There are still opportunities . I would say in the last couple of years we 've done well in terms of monetizing our gas resources and now I believe the government should focus on revamping the downstream industry , ensuring that the refineries work , increase the refining capacity in the country . CNN : That 's key , is n't it ? AU : It is key , because what it does is it prevents us from importing refined petroleum products , which is less than an optimal situation when you 're the seventh-largest producer of crude oil in the world .
Nigerian oil was worth $ 59 million last year . Shell Oilfield Services is Nigeria 's only offshore drilling contractor . Seawolf Oil says there are not enough skilled Nigerians in oil and gas industry .