The Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum on Monday opened a five-day retreat in Port Harcourt to strengthen legislative oversight and advance reforms in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Declaring the retreat open, Chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Abdurrahman Kawu, said the programme was a platform for “sober reflection, candid engagement, and strategic alignment” with the nation’s energy transition and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He urged participants to embrace transformative thinking and constructive dialogue in addressing challenges facing the downstream sector.
Stakeholders attending the retreat include the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), private refinery operators, oil marketers, and representatives of host communities.
Deliberations are focusing on the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, particularly the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund and the Host Community Development Fund. Other issues under review include budgetary oversight, fiscal transparency, and Nigeria’s preparedness for global energy transition.
Senator Kawu noted the strategic role of the downstream sector in economic diversification and energy security, assuring that the committee would produce a comprehensive legislative roadmap at the end of the retreat.
A communique outlining actionable steps to reposition the industry for sustainability and resilience is expected at the close of the programme.
