The Nigerian Senate has scheduled a public hearing for September to address the ongoing dispute between the Dangote Group and regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
This announcement was made by Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, Chairman of the Senate’s 15-member ad hoc committee, on Thursday. The committee was established by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to resolve disputes between the Dangote Group and regulators in the oil and gas sector.
The Senate has pledged to identify and publicly expose individuals or groups found to be sabotaging the oil and gas sector, which is crucial to Nigeria’s economic well-being, once its investigation is complete. Senator Opeyemi assured that the committee’s efforts would yield tangible results, unlike previous Senate committees that investigated the sector without achieving meaningful outcomes.
“The ongoing accusations and counter-accusations between Dangote and regulators are among the issues we have been mandated to look into,” he stated.
The ad hoc committee has written to all relevant stakeholders in the sector, requesting the submission of pertinent documents before the public hearing, scheduled for September 10 to 12, 2024.
“We will conduct a thorough review of current regulatory frameworks and procedures to identify deficiencies and recommend necessary reforms to prevent such occurrences in the future. The committee is committed to ensuring the highest standards of fuel quality for the Nigerian market,” Senator Opeyemi added.
