The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced it will issue petrol import licences based on published, merit-based criteria and transparent assessments of domestic supply shortfalls.
The Authority Chief Executive, Rabiu Umar, disclosed this while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week in Lagos, themed “Secure Energy, Shared Prosperity”.
Umar said eligible operators would remain free to import petrol, but licences would depend on verifiable assessments of supply gaps to ensure transparency and fair competition.
He said domestic refineries now account for about 75 per cent of Nigeria’s petrol supply, while imports have more than halved in a year.
According to him, increased local refining has strengthened energy security and helped sustain fuel availability despite disruptions in the global energy market.
However, Umar warned against excessive dependence on a single major refinery, stressing the need to diversify supply sources by supporting modular refineries, reviving government-owned facilities and retaining imports where local production falls short.
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He also clarified that the Petroleum Industry Act does not empower the NMDPRA to determine petroleum product prices, noting that its responsibility is to promote fair competition, transparent transactions and sustainable market practices.
The regulator, he said, was consulting stakeholders on proposed regulations to curb anti-competitive practices and had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to strengthen enforcement and consumer protection.
Umar further disclosed that the authority was reviewing its licensing framework to reduce administrative bottlenecks, improve the ease of doing business and attract investment.
Under the proposed reforms, some licences currently renewed annually could be extended to five years where appropriate, while unnecessary approval procedures would be removed to enable eligible operators to obtain licences remotely.
He said the reforms were aimed at making the regulator more efficient, transparent and responsive while maintaining consistent enforcement of industry standards and ensuring the quality of petroleum products.
