Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has pledged the Federal Ministry’s support for the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to advancing regulatory alignment across the continent’s petroleum sector.
The Minister made the pledge when the Chairman of AFRIPERF, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, paid a sensitisation visit to the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, 25 July 2026.
“As a ministry, we will support the Forum; the benefits of this initiative will promote sustainable policy implementation. It is important for regulatory policies across Africa to be aligned, as this will make the continent more predictable and attractive to investors,” Senator Lokpobiri stated.
In her earlier remarks, Mrs. Eyesan, who also serves as the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), disclosed that 16 African petroleum regulatory institutions had expressed interest in joining the Forum, while eight countries had formally ratified their membership, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
She explained that AFRIPERF was established to identify regulatory gaps across the African petroleum industry and to foster collaboration among regulators in addressing these challenges through knowledge sharing and the adoption of best regulatory practices.
The sensitisation visit forms part of AFRIPERF’s continuing engagement with member states and partner institutions across Africa, aimed at consolidating support for the Forum’s mandate and broadening its membership base.
About AFRIPERF
The African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF) is a continental platform that convenes petroleum regulatory institutions from across Africa to harmonise regulatory approaches, share best practices, and address common industry challenges through structured collaboration and knowledge exchang
