Petroleum - News Agency Of Nigeria

Vivian Ihechu
Sep, Thu, 2025

Nigeria leads African countries to sign petroleum regulatory charter

By Emmanuella Anokam

Nigeria has signed a charter to establish the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF) to promote investment and harmonisation of Petroleum regulations.

The landmark signing, chaired by Mr Gbenga Komolafe, Commission Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), held on Thursday, on the sidelines of the 31st Africa Oil Week (AOW) in Accra, Ghana.

Regulators from eight African countries formally endorsed the AFRIPERF Charter, while seven others present pledged to join after consultations, according to a statement by Eniola Akinkuotu, Head, Media and Strategic Communications, NUPRC, .

Those that signed the charter included Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea and Togo.

Komolafe, who doubles as the Interim Chairman of the forum, described the 4th AFRIPERF Meeting and Charter Signing as a decisive step toward building a harmonised and sustainable petroleum industry in Africa.

He said that as the world navigated complex transitioned toward cleaner, more sustainable energy systems, Africa must ensure that its vast hydrocarbon resources were managed with innovation, responsibility and foresight.

“From our initial announcement at the 8th SAIPEC to our inauguration during the NOG 2024 event and the careful drafting of the AFRIPERF Charter, each milestone has brought us closer to this historic day.

“By activating our Executive Committee, Technical Committee and Secretariat, we are establishing functional pillars to drive AFRIPERF forward,” he said.

He said that the Executive Committee would serve as the principal oversight body guiding the implementation of AFRIPERF’s objectives, while its membership is for heads of Africa’s oil and gas regulatory bodies.

“The Technical Committee will be activated based on thematic or sectoral priorities arising from the Executive Committee or broader membership.

“Its membership will be drawn from subject matter experts from member countries and partners to handle matters regarding specific regulatory areas and industry issues,” he said.

Komolafe said that the secretariat committee would comprise member countries, while nominations would be called for and presented to the executive committee for ratification.

According to him, AFRIPERF provides regulators with the mechanism to harmonise policies, address shared challenges and ensure that African perspectives are not only heard but respected on the global stage.
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He commended the regulators and stakeholders for their technical contributions to the evolution of AFRIPERF.

“The AFRIPERF charter defines both the mission and vision of the Forum, to enhance cooperation and collaboration among African petroleum regulators, to ensure a safe, efficient, rewarding, equitable and sustainable petroleum industry.

“The forum is also designed with the bold vision to be the premier platform for African petroleum regulators to share knowledge, best practices and expertise, in order to attain regional excellence in petroleum regulation.

“The forum also seeks to address regional petroleum regulatory challenges and leverage opportunities; facilitate knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and disseminate international best practices among member regulators,” Komolafe said.

Following the signing, AFRIPERF will call for the nominations for election of the Chairperson of AFRIPERF in accordance with Article 12.

It will also call for nominations of a representative from each member regulator in line with Article 10 and the designation of AFRIPERF Headquarters in line with Article 25.

The event was attended by regulators from 16 African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea and Togo.

Others are Kenya, Mauritania, Benin, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, South Africa and Morocco.

The Chairman of Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Upstream, Sen. Etang Williams, was also present as an observer.

The milestone is the climax of the proposal first introduced by Komolafe in 2024 when he championed the creation of AFRIPERF to strengthen petroleum governance across Africa.

The forum held its inaugural meeting in July 2024, followed by a second gathering in November 2024, setting the stage for Thursday’s breakthrough.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

Nigeria’s CNG conversion capacity increases by 2,500% – NMDPRA

Philip Daniel Yatai
Jan, Fri, 2025

Oil & Gas

Nigeria’s CNG conversion capacity increases by 2,500% – NMDPRA

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has said that the country’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion capacity increased by over 2,500 per cent in 2024.

Mr Farouk Ahmed, Authority Chief Executive, NMDPRA, said this on Thursday in Abuja, at the inaugural Petroleum Industry Stakeholders’ Forum, organised by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Ahmed said that NMDPRA supported the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) by stimulating 186 new conversion centers which triggered the county’s conversion capacity.

“The NMDPRA will continue to collaborate with the PCNGI to ensure deployment of CNG infrastructure in major cities of Lagos and Abuja, up to 100,000 conversions, while collaborating with states to develop Nigeria Gas Vehicles (NGVs) in other areas.

“The development of CNG as a viable alternative to Petrol has been incentivised.

“These conversions alongside new buys have raised the Nigerian Gas Vehicles population to an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 vehicles and trucks, and it continues to grow daily.

“With over 400 million dollars attracted for investment in 86 and 65 new daughters and mother stations under construction respectively, Nigeria refueling capacity has therefore risen from 20 to 56,” he said.

Ahmed said that the collaboration between PCNGI, NMDPRA and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) led to the development of standards and the NGV Monitoring System expected to be inaugurated this year.

“The NMDPRA also collaborates with the SON, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the National Institute of Transportation Technology (NITT) in ensuring that our mobility CNG growth is achieved in a safe and sustainable manner,” he said.

The NMDPRA boss, however, listed some challenges facing the initiative to include establishment and operation of petroleum handling facilities without proper licensing, permits and authorisations.

He listed other challenges to include poor collaborations for Open/ third party access to facilities and lack of cooperation of some operators for an effective regulatory oversight, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provisions.

“We implore the industry to adhere to all regulatory requirements, especially as they relate to safety, efficiency, best practices, sustainability, consumer protection and community participation.

“As we progress into 2025, the NMDPRA will continue to consolidate on its successes for enhanced regulatory oversight.

“This will include the upgrade of our laboratories for enhanced product quality analysis and referencing, inter-agency collaborations, automation and sustainability in the industry,” Ahmed said. (NAN)

Edited by Emmanuel Afonne

PH refinery begins truck-out of petroleum products

Philip Daniel Yatai
Nov, Wed, 2024

Oil & Gas

PH refinery begins truck-out of petroleum products

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) on Tuesday began the first tuck-out of petroleum products in view of the re-streaming of the rehabilitated facility.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the re-streaming and truck loading signaled the commencement of crude oil processing from the plant and delivery of petroleum products to the market.

The old refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent.

The refinery is producing the following daily outputs: Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha): Blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol), Kerosene: 900,000 litres, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or Diesel): 1.5 million litres.

Others are Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO): 2.1 million litres and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Additional volumes.

NAN reports that the trucks began loading petroleum products which include PMS, AGO and Kerosene, while other product slates will be dispatched as well.

Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), while marking its first product lifting, said the plant would be producing about 200 trucks of products daily.

Kyari described the commencement of loadout activities as a monumental achievement for Nigeria which signified a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the country.

In the bid to ease the distribution of the products, Kyari said the refinery’s access road was captured under the roads being renovated under the road tax credit scheme for improved infrastructure and smooth product delivery.

Meanwhile, some petroleum marketers who witnessed the first loading of petroleum products, lauded the NNPC Ltd. for achieving the milestone after many years of being moribund.

Dr Joseph Obele, the National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Petroleum Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) expressed optimism that with the coming on stream of the refinery, fuel price would be reviewed.

“Indeed, it is a dream come true, the plant is up and running. I commend the NNPC Ltd and the host community for realising this project. Marketers now have hope of loading products here,” he said.

High Chief Sunny Nkpe, a community leader and Managing Director Wesham Oil Ltd, said the development would further contribute to the economic development and energy sustainability.

He called for the crude oil processing from the plant to be sustained for Nigerians to feel the impact.

Also speaking, Mr Johnbosco Bosco, the Chairman, Petroleum Tankers Driver (PTD) Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), thanked the Federal Government for putting smiles on their faces.

“We are ready to partner with the NNPC Ltd. to ensure that petroleum products reach designated destinations.

“We also want to see this trend continue, we want to be loading regularly in this refinery,” he said.

The CEO of Matrix Energy, Abdukabiru Aliyu also expressed delight over the development and urged the NNPC Ltd to sustain it. (NAN)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams