The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has resolved to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders in the midstream and downstream oil sectors to ensure stable fuel supplies and affordable energy for all Nigerians.
Speaking at an interactive session in Abuja on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with executives from the Petroleum Marketers’ Association, domestic refiners, and depot operators, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, emphasized a transition from regulatory distance to active engagement.
“We have read about you in the news. We have heard about your struggles in reports. We have debated your challenges in our chambers, often without you in the room to speak for yourselves. That era ends today. We are here today not to interrogate, not to accuse and not to put anyone on trial. We are here to listen. We are here to talk to one another as partners who share one common destiny: a Nigeria where energy is affordable, where supply is stable and where no citizen is made to suffer for products that should ordinarily be within reach,” Ugochinyere stated.
Highlighting the pivotal role played by marketers, depot owners, and refiners during a period of shifting supply dynamics, Ugochinyere noted that the sector serves as the vital link between policy decisions and consumers at the pump.
He stated that “Domestic refining capacity is growing. Importation dynamics are shifting. Pipeline security remains a national priority. And through it all, you, the marketers, the depot owners, the independent operators and the major players, are the bridge between policy and the pump. When that bridge is strong, Nigerians feel it in stable prices and steady supply. When that bridge is strained, the whole nation feels it too”.
He further assured operators that future policies will be formulated with direct input from industry practitioners, stating: “We cannot regulate what we do not understand, and we cannot understand what we have not heard directly from those who live it every single day. That is why we have summoned you, not to a hearing, but to a conversation.”
While presenting the perspectives of downstream operators during the session;
The Executive Secretary of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Mr. Olufemi Adewole, raised concerns over operational hurdles, citing a lack of training activities for depot workers over the past year alongside regulatory challenges tied to importation and local refining engagements. He called for regular reviews of the supply chain.
Furthermore, the national chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Abubakar Shettima, explained that international market forces drive product price volatility, adding that tax obligations are inevitably transferred to consumers as marketers cannot bear these overheads alone.
The Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Mr. Clement Isong, also affirmed adherence to safety standards across operations and suggested greater governmental involvement in regulating imports and pricing frameworks.
Conclusively, the House Committee reiterated its commitment to continuous dialogue, choosing “partnership over suspicion, dialogue over decree, and understanding over assumption” to build a resilient downstream petroleum sector.
