By Oluwakemi Kindness
The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has opened consultations with fuel marketers as part of efforts to develop practical policies on petroleum importation, domestic refining and fuel distribution.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the engagement signals a shift from confrontation to collaboration, with lawmakers seeking direct input from key players in the downstream petroleum sector.
Speaking during a meeting with representatives of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Ugochinyere said the exercise was not an investigation but an opportunity to understand the realities and challenges facing operators.
He said future policies affecting the sector would be driven by consultation and informed by the experiences of industry stakeholders rather than assumptions.
“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,” he said.
Ugochinyere noted that Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry is undergoing significant changes, with domestic refining expanding, fuel importation patterns evolving and efforts intensifying to improve pipeline security.
He described marketers, depot owners and independent operators as critical links between government policies and the availability of petroleum products across the country.
The committee chairman urged industry players to provide frank feedback on import regulations, the impact of increased domestic refining and other challenges affecting fuel supply and distribution.
He assured stakeholders that their recommendations would be considered in the national interest as the committee works to support reforms aimed at ensuring stable fuel supply and affordable e8nergy for Nigerians.
