FUELING CHANGE: REFLECTING ON TWO YEARS OF PETROLEUM INDUSTRY ACT

by Dr. Adeoye Adefulu & Lateef Bamidele

It’s hard to believe that August 16, 2021, is now two years behind us, signifying the momentous occasion when the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 (“Act” or “PIA”) was enacted into law. Over the past two years, the industry has been navigating and adjusting to the new legislative landscape. While opinions on the progress achieved during this period may differ within the industry, one undeniable fact is the array of significant activities that have unfolded, leaving an indelible mark on the industry’s current trajectory.

In commemorating the first anniversary of the Act, we examined the spectrum of implementation activities that transpired within the initial twelve months following the Act’s enactment. Likewise, we published a newsletter titled Petroleum Industry Act; Implementation Developments and Regulatory Compliance Issues ahead of the eighteen months anniversary. That paper further scrutinized these implementation activities while underscoring the pertinent compliance concerns for the industry. For this edition of our newsletter, we will focus on fresh developments witnessed in the last six months.

As we observe the second anniversary of the Act, our attention now shifts to the novel activities spearheaded by the two industry regulators, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (“Authority”). These activities shed light on the evolving landscape of the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

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