In an attempt to increase domestic refining capacity and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products, the House of Representatives announced Monday that it is promoting stricter legislative measures to ensure a consistent supply of crude oil to Dangote and other local refineries. The Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, stated during the “Inaugural Annual Downstream Week Summit 2025” in Abuja that the legislature was drafting new legislation to guarantee that local refineries never run out of crude feedstock, a problem that has long plagued Nigeria’s refining industry despite significant investments. Ugochinyere claims that the House Committee is creating legislation that will give local refineries the first say in who gets to use crude oilsimplify rules to eliminate hold-ups and introduce a Refinery Protection and Promotion Bill that will designate refineries as national assets of strategic importance that should get priority protection and assistance. “We are committed to ensuring that before any export allocation is made, every barrel of Nigerian crude feeds the Nigerian refinery. We can ensure our local refineries continue to operate, generate employment, and improve our energy independence in this way. Nigeria needs to improve its production and consumption of.He pointed out that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) implementation of the Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation (DCSO) was one of the most admirable policy initiatives in recent years. He said the strategy requires that crude be given to local refineries, including traditional and modular operators, before any is exported. “This audacious action signifies a clear transition from policy rhetoric to real assistance for local value addition.
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