‘No Going Back,’ How Nigeria Is Steadily Positioning Self As Africa’s Refining Hub – NMDPRA

▪️At SPE-NAICE 2026, Authority Chief Underscores Ties For Nigeria’s Midstream, Downstream Devt

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Rabiu Umar, has said Nigeria was steadily positioning itself to become Africa’s refining hub.

NOP NIGERIA reports that Umar made the remark at the opening ceremony of the 49th Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2026) on Monday in Lagos.

He reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to a regulatory framework that is firm, fair, and efficient to attract investment, enhance energy security, and accelerate the growth of the nation’s gas economy.

He also outlined the Authority’s key priorities for transforming Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector.

According to him, the Authority’s leadership is guided by three strategic priorities: energy security, gas expansion, and regulatory excellence.

He said the priorities would be advanced through strict adherence to the law, fairness to all stakeholders, and faster regulatory decision-making.

He noted that a predictable and efficient regulatory environment was critical to attracting investment and driving industry growth.

He further said that Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry is undergoing a major transformation with the emergence of large-scale private refineries and modular refineries.

“This is positioning the country to move from exporting crude oil and importing refined products to becoming a self-sustaining refining hub and exporter of refined petroleum products,” he said.

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The NMDPRA boss noted that the development would enable Nigeria to retain more value from its crude oil resources while creating opportunities in the petrochemical and gas sectors.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of SPE Nigeria Council, Engr. Francis Nwaochei, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among the government, regulators, operators, investors, and technology providers to make Nigeria a globally competitive energy destination capable of succeeding in the rapidly evolving global energy landscape.

Nwaochei said Nigeria’s future success in the energy sector would depend not only on its abundant natural resources but also on the quality of its leadership, consistency in policy, innovation, institutional strength and commitment to strategic partnerships.

He said the global energy industry is experiencing an unprecedented transformation driven by concerns over energy security, affordability, decarbonisation, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, automation, and operational efficiency.

He said these developments offer Nigeria a unique opportunity to harness its vast hydrocarbon reserves, expanding gas economy, resilient indigenous operators, and growing technology ecosystem to attract investment and drive economic growth.

He also lauded the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative, describing natural gas as a catalyst for industrialisation, cleaner energy access, improved power reliability, and economic diversification.

Nwaochei further commended the Federal Government’s plan to clear verified debts owed to electricity generation companies and gas suppliers through a proposed N4 trillion government-backed bond, saying the initiative would enhance liquidity and boost confidence across the power and gas value chain.

NOP NIGERIA