Nigeria’s House of Representatives has stepped in to defuse a growing standoff between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), amid fears that the disagreement could unsettle the downstream petroleum market.
Lawmakers, operating under the Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources, said the intervention became necessary as fresh tensions threaten recent gains in fuel supply stability following the removal of petrol subsidies.
Committee chairman Ikenga Ugochinyere disclosed that both parties have been formally invited to an urgent engagement, stressing that unresolved disputes at this stage could reverse progress made in pricing and distribution reforms.
“Stability in the downstream sector remains delicate,” Ugochinyere said.
“Any prolonged regulatory or operational conflict risks creating uncertainty for consumers and investors alike.”
According to him, the friction stems from allegations and concerns publicly raised by industrialist Aliko Dangote against the petroleum regulator, particularly around regulatory approvals and market access.
Moreover, petitions submitted to the committee reportedly focus on the issuance of import licences and broader questions about whether domestic refineries, including the Dangote facility, can sufficiently meet Nigeria’s daily fuel consumption needs.
Ugochinyere noted that the committee intends to examine all outstanding issues comprehensively when executives from the refinery and the NMDPRA appear before lawmakers.
“Our responsibility is to protect the public interest,” he said.
“We must interrogate the facts, clarify regulatory expectations, and ensure policies support local refining without compromising market balance.”
The emergency meeting that produced the resolution was held in Abuja on Monday, as lawmakers intensify oversight of Nigeria’s petroleum sector in the post-subsidy era.