Group photograph of stakeholders at the 2025 ECAN annual conference held in Abuja. 13/11/2025
The Federal Government and stakeholders in the nation’s oil industry have taken stock of the impact of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 just as they offered solutions to identified missing gaps to strengthen its implementation.
Though, the federal government applauded the revolutionary impact of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021) in the nation’s oil sector, it said it is disposed to receiving suggestions to strengthen implementations.
The Minister of state Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, spoke at the 2025 annual conference of the Energy Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) held Thursday in Abuja. The theme of the conference was “Four years of the PIA: Achievements, Gaps and the Road ahead.”
Represented by Mrs. Ruth Mela Nunghe, Director (Gas) Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ekpo noted that the Act’s implementation has recorded giant strides in the sector.
According to him, “The PIA remains the landmark legislation that has redefined the governance, fiscal, and operational frameworks of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
“Over these four years, significant strides have been made in improving transparency, enhancing investor confidence, and strengthening regulatory institutions.”
He noted however that despite the PIA achievements, there are still gaps that require collective efforts to address particularly in areas of cultural and community development, energy transition, and sustainable implementation of Act’s provisions.
He charged participants at the conference to use the conference as an opportunity to generate actionable insights that would further advance the objectives of the PIA and contribute to Nigeria’s broader energy security and economic growth.
On their part, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Mr Muhammad Al Kassim, an AGM Retail Marketing, acknowledged that the PIA replaced longstanding ambiguity with a clearer legal and institutional architecture that can support stronger governance, attract responsible investment, protect public interests, and promote a competitive market that benefits consumers.
Kassim however argued that though Policy and institutional design are essential, but policy alone will not deliver results for citizens.
On this, he said implementation remains the critical next phase, and several practical challenges deserve our immediate attention.
He identified that progress on social provisions, including establishment of Host Community Development Trusts had been uneven, adding that capacity and coordination gaps continue to slow effective delivery.
Kassim advised that efforts must be directed towards ensuring the new framework is applied in ways that prevent market concentration, guarantee open access to critical infrastructure, and protect consumers from anti-competitive behaviour.
Further, he proposed that the coordination across institutions and levels of government must be tightened.
He advocated for capacity building as new mandates require regulatory staff, technical teams, and industry partners with up-to-date skills in licensing, monitoring, technical assessment and market regulation.
He noted that procedural hurdles and administrative delays still raise costs and slow investment and service delivery.
According to him, “I propose a focused, practical agenda that aligns with the spirit of the reforms and translates them into measurable public benefit.
“Invest in capacity and training. Commit resources to build the technical, legal, and administrative skills needed across the new institutions and among industry partners. Short intensive training, secondments, and structured knowledge exchange programs will speed up competent implementation.
“Streamline processes and remove avoidable delays. Review licensing and permit workflows with the objective of eliminating redundant steps, setting clear timelines and service level agreements, and digitising transactions where feasible. Faster, predictable processes reduce cost and encourage responsible investment, among others.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Chairman, Energy Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN), Mr. John Ofikhenua, noted that ECAN was not just holding an event, but igniting a national conversation — one that sits at the very heart of Nigeria’s development story.
He explained that the theme, “Four Years of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA): Achievements, Gaps and the Way Ahead,” is both timely and thought-provoking.
” Four years on, it is right that we pause to ask: How far have we come? What has changed? And what must we still do to make the promise of the PIA a living reality for all Nigerians?
“Today, we can say with pride that much has changed. The PIA brought structure, transparency, and renewed confidence to our industry. We now see a clearer separation of roles, stronger institutions, and a more defined sense of accountability. The grievances from host communities have reduced, and there is a greater sense of belonging and participation.
“The PIA is not a finished product; it is a living document. As technology evolves, as global energy dynamics shift, and as the world races towards cleaner and smarter energy solutions, we too must evolve.
“This conference, therefore, is not just about taking stock — it is about envisioning the future. It is about refining the law to meet new realities, and ensuring that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remains competitive, transparent, and sustainable in the years ahead.”
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