Senate Committee to Resolve OGFZA and NMDPRA Conflict

The Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum Sector, chaired by Sulaiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, has pledged to resolve the jurisdictional conflicts between the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). During a retreat held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the committee emphasized the need for a neutral platform to engage stakeholders and address overlapping statutory mandates.

The committee plans to examine whether legislative clarifications or amendments are necessary to eliminate ambiguities and ensure outcomes align with national security and market stability. The committee aims to provide unbiased, evidence-based recommendations for immediate and long-term solutions to regulatory issues.

Alhaji Bamanga Usman Jada, Managing Director of OGFZA, urged regulatory stakeholders in the petroleum sector to avoid promoting unhealthy jurisdictional ambiguities among federal government agencies, advocating for a coordinated regulatory environment to enhance investor confidence and establish Nigeria as a leading energy hub in Africa.