From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has said it is committed to amending the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), as well as enacting new legislations to address feedstock related issues, as to protect local refineries in the country.
The Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, who stated this, on Monday, while speaking at the technical briefing on the Downstream Week, 2026, said this is imperative because availability of crude oil to local refineries is crucial to their operations.
Ugochinyere, while giving a review of the activities of the committee in 2026, noted that the rejected a World Bank recommendation on petroleum importation, and stood behind local refineries.
He added that the Committee, through the Joint Parliamentary Roundtable on Pipeline Security, ensured that security agencies, Nigeria National Petroleum Company(NNPCL) and surveillance contractors give regular accounts of their operations to the House.
According to him, “we stood for our indigenous refineries and rejected the World Bank’s recommendation on import licences. We have maintained our stand on clear rules for importation, and on the principle that Nigeria’s energy policy must be written in Nigeria.
“We opened an inquiry into the underpayment for crude by certain companies and constituted a Sub-Committee on Crude Pricing and Revenue Integrity.
“Through the Joint Parliamentary Roundtable on Pipeline Security, we placed the security agencies, NNPC Limited and the surveillance contractor on regular account to this Parliament. We have asked NNPC Limited hard questions on legacy transactions and on the rehabilitation of our refineries, and we will not accept silence as an answer.”
Ugochinyere added “We are legislating on feedstock-related issues, particularly the non-availability of crude oil to our domestic refineries. A refinery without reliable crude is an investment at risk. Our aim is a framework that makes domestic supply dependable and commercially workable for producers and refiners alike.
“We are addressing the issues facing domestic refineries so that the investments now being made in local refining capacity are secure and can grow. This Committee will push for stronger laws to support local refineries, so that crude supply, fair access to the market and a stable policy environment are guaranteed by statute rather than left to chance.”
The post Reps: We ‘ll enact new laws to protect local refineries appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.