By Adedapo Adesanya
The House of Representatives has begun a comprehensive investigation into Nigeria’s petroleum products supply chain and the quality of imported and refined products around the country.
The move, unconnected to the ongoing rift between Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and security in the nation’s petroleum sector.
The investigation was disclosed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the 2024 Midstream and Downstream Retreat organized by the House Committee on Petroleum Resources Midstream and Downstream themed Enhancing Regulatory Frameworks, Promoting Transparency, and Fostering Sustainable Development in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector.
Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, said the retreat would provide strategic insights into the nation’s petroleum sector, emphasizing the sector’s role in the nation’s economy and the legislature’s responsibility to ensure its transparency.
Mr Ikeagwuonu revealed that the House has mandated both committees to investigate the crude oil supply chain, involving detailed laboratory investigations at local refineries, marketers, importers, and regulatory agencies.
He said the committee will also visit filing stations, depots, and tank farms to verify the quality of imported petroleum products and assess the testing capacity of refineries.
“The committee will undertake detail laboratory investigation at all local refineries, marketers, importers and regulatory agency lab like NMDPRA. We will visit various filing stations, depot and tank farms to verify the quality of imported petroleum products and assess the testing capacity of all refineries
“The collection of these samples will be for specimen and will be transparently done with all the key stakeholders.
“Zonal interaction committees will be constituted in order to ensure smooth movement to all the zones of the country for the purpose of taking samples for the Depot, Tank Farms and refineries for immediate analysis.
“We urge all those to be invited to provide full cooperation and support by providing all necessary documents, facts and insights that would aid our investigation.
“Our investigation will proceed in phases beginning with examination of standards petroleum products that are imported into the country and the crude oil supply chain. This investigation that the house has ordered us the main reason we are at this retreat to brainstorm on how to proceed and this investigation is crucial for restoring trust and ensuring the security and quality Nigeria’s petroleum sector in line with the renewed hope agenda of the president
“We are committed to accountability and transparency and thoroughness, and that we will do throughout the process. The investigation aims at to identify and resolve the issues plaguing Nigeria petroleum sector.
“Our interaction with stakeholders in the Midstream and Downstream sectors is crucial. It is through this interaction we will gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by our industry and collaboratively decide ways to ensure growth and sustainability.
“We are going to address allegations concerning the alleged importation of substandard petroleum products, the alleged production of substandard petroleum products, the non-availability of crude oil to domestic refineries and other critical issues,” the lawmaker said.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Mr Sada Soli, highlighted the significance of the retreat in strengthening and enhancing regulatory frameworks in the oil and gas sector.
Mr Abbas noted that the Petroleum Industry Act has addressed shortcomings in the sector, and this retreat provides an opportunity to reflect on the issues once again.
He noted that the retreat was crucial as it give the opportunity for continued conversation and dialogue initiative by the House of Representatives on strengthening and enhancing the regulatory framework of the oil and gas sector.
“Since the Petroleum Industry Act became a law, which provides the legal governance regulating the physical framework for the Nigerian petroleum industry.
“The Nigerian petroleum industry has witnessed total overhaul as provided by the Act. The PIA through its provisions address the shortcomings in the sector and provides timely remedies. The NNPC has been restructured and repositioned with hope that it will serve the Nigerian citizenry better.
“Through the incorporation of the NNPC as a liability company, the NNPC now is to become a full fledged company free to operate as a business entity and effectively engage with other stakeholders and partners in the competitive market in order to make petroleum products available and affordable to the people.
“This retreat offers us another opportunity to evaluate and implementation of the PIA in promoting transparency, accountability, economic recovery, transformation and growth of the oil sector, as well as the key roles of the players in the industry,” he said.
Modupe Gbadeyanka