Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is accelerating its transition from a producer of natural resources to a creator of higher-value industrial services, with the shift highlighted at the inaugural Oil & Gas Services and Equipment Conference and Exhibition (OGSE) Sabah 2026.
The three-day event at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) attracted more than 5,000 visitors and 200 exhibitors, while hundreds of secondary school and university students explored career opportunities in fields including robotics, deepwater engineering and digital energy management.
Organisers said the transformation is being driven by the Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) signed between the Sabah Government and Petronas in 2021, which aims to strengthen local business participation and develop Sabahan companies to meet international industry standards.
They said the value of OGSE contracts awarded to Sabah-based companies increased from RM341 million in 2021 to more than RM2 billion by the end of 2025, while the number of active local contractors rose from 263 to 475 and active contracts grew from 133 to 499.
Deputy Chief Minister and Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick also unveiled the Sabah OGSE Five-Year Roadmap (2026–2030), outlining plans to expand technical capabilities, strengthen local content, develop human capital, improve financing and position Sabah as a regional oil and gas hub by 2030.
