By George OPARA
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has assured its commitment to establish regulatory certainty, fairness and transparency to boost investor confidence and quicken investments in the country’s petroleum sector.
At the opening of the 2026 NMDPRA General Counsel and Legal Advisers Forum, the Authority Chief Executive, Mr Rabiu Umar, disclosed that the regulator would continue to engage openly with stakeholders, regulate fairly and consistently, and strengthen the clarity needed to attract responsible investments into the industry.
The two-day forum, themed “Beyond Compliance: Driving Regulatory Certainty and Investment Confidence in Nigeria’s Petroleum Sector,” brought together government officials, legal advisers, industry operators and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and creating a more predictable regulatory environment.Government
The Authority Chief Executive said while regulatory compliance remained fundamental, the industry’s broader objective was to build a petroleum sector characterised by certainty, predictability, transparency and investor confidence.
Umar explained, “Compliance was and remains the foundation. The broader objective is to create a petroleum industry characterised by certainty, predictability, transparency and confidence. A sector in which investors can commit capital with clarity, operators can make long-term business decisions with confidence, regulatory expectations are clearly understood and consistently applied, and ultimately, a sector capable of supporting Nigeria’s broader economic aspirations.”
He acknowledged that five years after the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, the conversation had shifted from the provisions of the law to how effectively it was being implemented, how regulations were functioning in practice, how markets were responding to reforms, and how investors were assessing opportunities.
He added that the issues have become central to achieving the objectives envisioned by the landmark legislation.
The Authority Chief Executive explained that the forum was established on the recognition that effective regulation extends beyond making laws, stressing that successful implementation depends on constructive engagement among regulators, legal advisers, compliance professionals and licensed operators.
He said the forum was designed not as a one-sided engagement but as a platform for dialogue, feedback and collaborative problem-solving aimed at improving regulatory outcomes across the industry.
“I encourage all participants to engage actively, challenge assumptions, share experiences, identify emerging risks, highlight areas requiring clarification and, in the end, offer practical solutions,” he said.
The NMDPRA boss also pledged that under his leadership, the Authority would continue to strengthen regulatory clarity, encourage responsible investment and deepen collaboration with industry stakeholders.
“I stand before you today to make a commitment that the Authority will continue to engage openly with stakeholders, act transparently, regulate fairly and consistently, and remain responsive to the realities of an evolving industry.
“We will continue to strengthen regulatory clarity, encourage responsible investment, and foster the collaborative relationships that are essential to achieving the objectives of the PIA,” he said.
He stressed that achieving the goals of the Petroleum Industry Act would require partnership, dialogue and the collective commitment of all stakeholders, adding that the Authority remained committed to building a petroleum industry that is not only compliant and well-regulated but also trusted, competitive, investable and sustainable.
While the forum lasted, participants are expected to deliberate on issues including regulatory certainty, investment confidence, institutional coordination, energy security, midstream infrastructure development and the implementation of host community provisions under the Petroleum Industry Act.
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