Reps push for full energy reform as Abbas, Ugochinyere lead call for self-sufficiency

By Gift Chapi-Odekina, Abuja

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and the Chairman of the House Committee connected Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, person called for a full overhaul of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum manufacture to execute vigor self-sufficiency, transparency, and sustainable growth.

Speaking astatine the First Annual Downstream Petroleum Week held successful Abuja connected Monday, Speaker Abbas described the lawsuit arsenic “one of the astir defining moments successful the improvement of the downstream petroleum sector.”

The week-long conference, organised by the House Committee connected Petroleum Resources (Downstream) successful concern with the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), brought unneurotic apical manufacture players, regulators, labour leaders, and backstage investors, including the Dangote Group, PENGASSAN, and NNPCL.

Declaring the lawsuit open, Abbas said the inaugural marked a milestone successful the National Assembly’s efforts to fortify Nigeria’s vigor architecture, adding that it aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of reforming cardinal economical sectors.

He noted that the effectual take-off of the Dangote Refinery had transformed Nigeria’s refining landscape, mounting a caller way toward vigor independency and concern expansion.

“Nigeria is astatine a captious constituent successful its thrust for industrialization,” Abbas said. “This league could not person travel astatine a amended time. Our work arsenic legislators is to supply the policies and oversight that volition fortify the downstream assemblage for a much secure, efficient, and resilient economy.”

The Speaker stressed that the occurrence of the downstream assemblage hinged connected improved infrastructure, argumentation clarity, and section investment, particularly successful Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) facilities.

He besides called for actionable solutions to vigor information challenges, pipeline vandalism, pricing inconsistencies, and afloat implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021), which, helium said, had restored capitalist assurance and promoted transparency.

“This maiden Annual Downstream Week reflects our committedness to evidence-based policymaking and stakeholder engagement,” Abbas added. “We expect innovative ideas that tin alteration our downstream assemblage and determination our system forward.”

In his keynote address, Hon. Ugochinyere described the acme arsenic “a nationalist level for reflection and renewal,” noting that the downstream assemblage was undergoing a historical translation marked by accrued refining capacity, concern growth, and renewed capitalist confidence.

He highlighted ongoing projects including the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery, the Waltersmith Modular Refinery successful Imo State (expanding from 5,000 to 50,000 barrels per day), the OPAC Refinery successful Delta State, and the Indorama Petrochemical expansion, which has boosted fertilizer accumulation and state utilization.

“The translation we are witnessing is calved of courage, clarity, and innovation,” Ugochinyere said. “Our downstream assemblage is present much open, efficient, and acceptable for investment. Nigeria indispensable refine what it produces and devour what it refines.”

He commended the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for enforcing the Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation (DCSO), which guarantees crude entree for section refineries earlier exports.

Ugochinyere revealed that the Committee would soon present caller legislative measures to beforehand and support section refining, including:

Granting section refineries archetypal close of refusal connected crude allocations.

Streamlining regulations to destruct bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Developing a Refinery Protection and Promotion Bill to classify refineries arsenic strategical nationalist assets.

Ensuring unhindered entree to feedstock and information for refinery operations nationwide.

“Progress indispensable beryllium matched with persistence,” Ugochinyere said. “We indispensable prolong capitalist confidence, make jobs, and fortify our vigor independence. This is however nations grow—by empowering section industries to produce, compete, and thrive.”

The lawmaker besides cautioned against concern unrest, urging unions and operators to prioritize dialog and communal respect.

“No betterment tin win without indust...