By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is set to finalize and launch a nationwide gas distribution licensing framework within the remaining weeks of fourth quarter of 2026.
The gas licensing framework promises a safer and more competitive market for consumers.
A sub-committee of the House Committee on Petroleum Downstream confirmed the regulatory timeline on Thursday in Abuja.
The Sub-Committee Chairman, Rep. Peter Aniekwe, revealed the regulator’s Q4 deadline while announcing the dismissal of a petition filed by the Nigerian Energy Security Watch Group (NESWG) against NIPCO Plc.
Aniekwe stated that lawmakers will closely track the NMDPRA’s rollout to ensure it delivers tangible benefits to energy consumers and industry players alike.
“Nigerians deserve a gas market that is open, competitive and safe, and investors deserve rules that are clear and stable,” Aniekwe said.
He emphasized that under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the authority to issue and regulate gas distribution licenses rests strictly with the NMDPRA, while the National Assembly maintains legislative oversight in the public interest.
The announcement accompanied the panel’s unanimous resolution to dismiss NESWG’s petition, which had sought the suspension and cancellation of NIPCO’s gas distribution licenses for Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Osun states, as well as the Lagos and Lekki Free Trade Zones.
Rep. Aniekwe, alongside panel member Dahaltu Shehu, explained that the petitioners failed to provide concrete evidence, relying instead on hearsay.
The sub-committee, set up by the House Committee on Petroleum Downstream in October 2026, was granted a 14-day extension on October 26 to conclude its findings.
Reaffirming the parliament’s accessibility, Aniekwe noted that the doors of the House of Representatives remain open to address genuine public concerns, provided petitions are backed by verifiable merit.
