Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Federal Government has reaffirmed its push for stronger regulatory efficiency, gas utilisation and investor confidence in Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector.
The affirmation follows a high-level engagement between the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the new leadership of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, disclosed this in Abuja after receiving the newly appointed Authority Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Engr. Saidu Mohammed, during a courtesy visit to his office.
Ekpo congratulated Mohammed on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing confidence in his capacity to deepen regulatory effectiveness in line with the administration’s energy priorities.
“I congratulate you on your well-deserved appointment and urged you to deploy your vast industry experience to further strengthen regulatory efficiency and advance the Federal Government’s gas utilisation and energy transition agenda,” Ekpo said.
The Minister stressed that a transparent and predictable regulatory environment remains central to attracting investment across Nigeria’s midstream and downstream value chain, particularly as the country seeks to unlock gas for domestic use and industrial growth.
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to close collaboration with the NMDPRA, noting that transparency, accountability and constructive engagement with stakeholders are essential to building a stable, rules-driven petroleum sector.
“We remain committed to sustained collaboration with the NMDPRA to ensure transparency, accountability and effective engagement with industry players, in line with the objectives of the Petroleum Industry Act,” Ekpo stated.
In his remarks, Engr. Mohammed assured the Minister of the Authority’s readiness to work closely with the Ministry to implement government policies and enforce regulatory compliance across the sector.
He said the NMDPRA would remain focused on supporting the full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, while driving reforms that enhance operational efficiency and investor confidence.
The meeting signals renewed alignment between the Ministry and the NMDPRA leadership as Nigeria intensifies efforts to position gas as a transition fuel and strengthen governance in the petroleum industry.
