The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has passed votes of confidence on President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and industrialist Aliko Dangote over what it described as progress in Nigeria’s drive towards energy security.
The committee, however, urged the Federal Government to increase funding for pipeline surveillance, enforce domestic crude supply obligations and strengthen legislation to protect local refineries from supply disruptions and unfair competition.
The committee’s chairman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, announced the votes of confidence on Monday in Abuja during a technical briefing marking the end of Downstream Week 2026.
Ugochinyere said the committee’s assessment showed improvements in domestic refining, fuel supply and pipeline security, stressing the need for sustained government support to consolidate the gains.
He commended NMDPRA Chief Executive, Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, and the authority’s executive directors for their performance, saying the regulator had “brought stability where there was uncertainty”.
Figures presented at the briefing indicated that domestic refineries now account for more than 75 per cent of Nigeria’s petrol supply, with no recorded supply shortfalls and over 25 days of national supply sufficiency.
The committee also highlighted the commissioning of the Port Harcourt petroleum product laboratory, the licensing of a petroleum liquid trading exchange described as Africa’s first, and the completion of a framework for a National Strategic Stock capable of covering up to 20 days of supply.
It said plans were underway to expand the strategic reserve to 90 days in 2027.
On crude oil production, the committee expressed confidence that Nigeria could achieve its target of three million barrels per day, citing improvements in pipeline surveillance and security as contributing factors.
