By Peter Jatau, National Assembly, Abuja.
Abuja— The Nigerian Senate has expressed readiness to tackle the persistent challenges confronting the nation’s downstream petroleum sector through an all-inclusive investigative hearing aimed at identifying and resolving the bottlenecks impeding efficiency and growth.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kawu Sumaila, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, noting that the initiative is part of the committee’s Strategic Action Work Plan for the fourth quarter of 2025 to 2026.
According to Sumaila, the committee’s recent retreat produced far-reaching resolutions designed to reposition the downstream subsector for better performance and accountability.
“The Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum, pursuant to the resolutions of its recent retreat and in line with its Strategic Action Work Plan (Q4 2025 – Q4 2026), has resolved to undertake a comprehensive investigative hearing on the current challenges in the downstream petroleum sector,” the statement read.
He explained that the committee would provide a fair, transparent, and inclusive platform for all stakeholders — including private refinery operators, government-owned refineries, labour unions, regulators, civil society organisations, and independent marketers — to present their views, raise concerns, and make submissions.
Sumaila stated that the outcome of the investigative hearing would guide the Senate in reshaping the roles of regulatory agencies, resolving industrial disputes, and addressing issues of transparency, competitiveness, and compliance within the sector.
“The outcome of this investigative hearing will guide the Senate in reshaping the roles of regulatory agencies in resolving industrial disputes, addressing the concerns of independent marketers, and tackling systemic bottlenecks in the downstream sector,” he said.
He further noted that the exercise has become imperative given lingering disputes among key industry stakeholders, including the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and other labour groups.
These disputes, he said, stem from concerns relating to crude oil supply obligations, regulatory overlaps, labour rights, and operational transparency, which have continued to threaten stability and investor confidence in the downstream value chain.
Sumaila emphasized that the committee’s intervention seeks not only to mediate ongoing disputes but also to assess the future of the downstream petroleum industry under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) framework.
“This far-reaching resolution will go a long way in ameliorating the challenges and bringing about a more prosperous investment climate in the petroleum sector, thereby improving Nigeria’s overall economic outlook,” he added.
The forthcoming investigative hearing is expected to mark a turning point in policy dialogue between the Senate, regulators, and operators in the petroleum industry — signaling renewed legislative commitment to transparency, accountability, and sustainable sectoral reforms.
