• FG assures Nigeria’s 4 refineries gained’t be left stranded
•NMDPRA expands gasoline provide entry with new community code
• Targets 9 gasoline laboratories nationwide by 2027
•Authority, NNPC to pilot nationwide strategic gasoline reserve
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has disclosed that home refineries acquired greater than 127 million barrels of Nigerian crude oil and condensate between January and September 2026, reflecting enhancements in the implementation of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO).
Also, the federal authorities has mentioned it’s pursuing a extra rigorous, commercially sustainable method to rehabilitate and reposition the 4 nationwide refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna to stop them from changing into stranded belongings.
In the identical vein, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA) has signed and unveiled Revision II of the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code (NGTNC), geared toward increasing gasoline provide entry to energy, fertiliser vegetation, shippers and buyers.
The NURPC Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, who spoke yesterday in her speech on the OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week 2026 in Lagos, restated that the fee was additionally consulting producers, refiners and different stakeholders on a home crude swap framework.
Speaking on the theme: ‘’Secure Energy, Shared Prosperity’’, the NUPRC boss, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Operations, Mr. Prosper Omonedo, mentioned the fee’s intervention had improved crude oil deliveries after industrial disagreements between producers and refiners affected provides in the primary quarter.
“We engaged producers and refiners, and in the second and third quarters, 53.7 and 45.1 million barrels of crude oil and condensate had been equipped to home refineries, an general efficiency of 97.4 and 76.2 per cent, respectively.
“From Q1–Q3 of 2026, more than 127 million barrels of Nigerian crude went to Nigerian refineries,” she mentioned. Under Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the NUPRC allocates crude oil to home refineries earlier than export.
The NUPRC chief government mentioned the NUPRC was additionally consulting producers, refiners and different stakeholders on a home crude swap framework.
“Under it, a refiner could receive crude from the nearest suitable production or export point instead of moving an allocated grade over long distances, which could take an estimated three to four dollars off the cost of every barrel,” he added.
On manufacturing, Eyesan mentioned Nigeria recorded a median of 1.717 million barrels per day of crude oil and condensate in September, a 2.34 per cent enhance over August. Crude oil manufacturing alone averaged 1.53 million barrels per day, marking the fifth consecutive month the trade met or exceeded its quota.
She attributed the development to raised asset integrity, enhanced safety of evacuation infrastructure, stronger collaboration with operators and sustained regulatory efforts to revive shut-in manufacturing.
On the 2026 Licensing Round, she mentioned the 40 blocks on supply could be subjected to a clear analysis course of, with revealed standards and necessary disclosure of helpful possession.
The NUPRC boss added that the fee was implementing the drill-or-drop precept to discourage speculative holding of licences, noting that 22 latest awardees had been anticipated to contribute no less than 250,000 barrels per day inside 5 years.
She reaffirmed the fee’s dedication to assembly the Domestic Gas Delivery Obligation and dealing with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to align refinery demand with crude provide planning, making certain that upstream good points translate into tangible advantages for households, industries and energy technology.
At the occasion, the federal authorities mentioned that it was pursuing a extra rigorous, commercially sustainable method to rehabilitate and reposition the 4 nationwide refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna to stop them from changing into stranded belongings.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Patience Oyekunle, in her remarks, mentioned the federal government remained dedicated to making sure current nationwide refining belongings run by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) weren’t misplaced, supported by technical evaluation, stronger partnerships and improved operational self-discipline.
“At the same time, the government remains committed to ensuring that existing national refining assets are not allowed to become stranded investments. We are pursuing a more rigorous, commercially sustainable approach to the rehabilitation and repositioning of our refineries, supported by technical assessment, stronger partnerships and improved operational discipline,” she mentioned.
She mentioned the twentieth anniversary of OTL was a testomony to resilience and relevance, commending the platform for bringing authorities, buyers, operators and regulators collectively.
The authorities famous that Nigeria is remodeling from import dependence to home refining, personal funding and regional competitiveness beneath the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“Today, we are beginning to see the results. Nigeria’s crude oil production has been strengthened significantly,” she defined.
She mentioned Nigeria has maintained its compliance with the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota for the fourth consecutive month, owing to the rise in the nation’s crude oil manufacturing as proven by October output which surpassed 1.7 million barrels per day together with condensates.
She mentioned growing manufacturing was just one half, with higher emphasis on worth addition at house by refining, petrochemicals, gasoline processing and manufacturing.
“The emergence of large-scale private refining capacity represents an important turning point. The Dangote Refinery has reached its 650,000 barrels-per-day nameplate capacity, strengthening Nigeria’s prospects of becoming a net exporter of refined petroleum products,” the federal government mentioned.
On gasoline, the federal authorities mentioned Nigeria with over 215 trillion cubic ft of confirmed reserves should transfer from resource-rich to value-creating economic system, citing the Gas Master Plan 2026 focusing on 10 billion customary cubic ft per day by 2027 and 12BCF/d by 2030.
“Gas will power industries, support electricity generation, expand CNG and LPG utilisation, strengthen LNG exports and provide feedstock for petrochemicals,” she mentioned.
She warned that the period of extracting worth with out constructing worth was altering, with expectations on native content material, expertise and host-community growth.
On its half, the NMDPRA mentioned the brand new Network Code will deepen home gasoline utilisation and assure open, honest entry
Authority Chief Executive, Rabiu Umar, who signed and unveiled the code with companions comprising energy technology vegetation, fertiliser vegetation, shippers and buyers on the OTL opening, mentioned the code is the rulebook for shared pipelines.
“The Network Code basically is the rulebook for gas transportation. As we know, there’s one pipeline that different producers put their gas into. And for there to be equity, there needs to be a code, or if you like, rules of engagement on how you put your gas inside, how the gas is measured, and how you nominate gas,” Umar mentioned.
“The pipelines deliver their full value only when access to them is open and fair. It is therefore a pleasure to announce that the Authority has officially launched revision 2 of the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code,” he defined.
Umar mentioned about three-fifths of gasoline processed in September went to energy vegetation, factories, NLNG and West African Gas Pipeline, whereas cooking gasoline demand outstrips provide. He mentioned the Obe-Obiafu-Obrikon (OB3), the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) midline compressor and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline at over 80 per cent completion will double transport capability from 2.2 to 4.4 BCF/d, linking the south to north.
“Since Revision I, more shippers have come onto the network, and the imbalance on the Western network has fallen by about 30 per cent Revision II builds on these gains,” he mentioned, noting clearer provisions on Shrinkage Factor and preliminary guidelines for Trans-Saharan and Trans-African pipelines.
On downstream stability, Umar mentioned three in 4 litres of petrol final month had been refined domestically in comparison with over half imported a 12 months in the past, displaying power safety constructed at house.
Although, he famous that a lot provide nonetheless got here from one giant refinery (Dangote Refinery) above nameplate in September, requiring variety by way of modular and state refineries and aggressive imports on merit-based licences.
Umar disclosed that NMDPRA is in superior talks with NNPC to pilot strategic inventory at National Pipeline and Storage Company Limited (NPSC) depots in Ibadan, Enugu and Suleja to cushion towards exterior shocks, after eight months of Gulf struggle pushing crude to $100.
He introduced the primary of 9 gasoline laboratories launched just lately in Port Harcourt, two extra by year-end, all 9 by second half 2027, in partnership with Bureau Veritas and Ace Energy and Power Solutions in the direction of a National Reference Laboratory.
Chairman of OTL Africa Advisory Board, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, in his welcome handle, mentioned 20 years of OTL mirrors Africa’s downstream evolution from securing imports and managing administered costs to shaping personal provide preparations, with personal refining altering potentialities.
“When OTL began in 2007, much of Africa’s downstream discussion centred on securing imports. Those concerns have not disappeared. But the continent’s capacity to shape its own supply arrangements has strengthened,” Oyebanji mentioned, citing Ghana’s 2015 value liberalisation, Dangote refinery, Kenya’s Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline, (*127*)’s Mostorod improve, South Africa’s Lesedi terminal and Angola’s Cabinda refinery.
He warned of Middle East battle, transport route insecurity and Russian provide disruptions nonetheless pressuring diesel availability and freight prices, requiring reliable feedstock, environment friendly operations and clear guidelines to maintain confidence.
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