By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), have explored areas of collaboration to enhance transparency, accountability and data management in the petroleum sector.
The decision was reached when the Authority Chief Executive, Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, received a delegation from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), led by its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Musa Sarkin Adar, on Friday.
Speaking, the Authority Chief Executive, Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, said the Authority is implementing several reforms aimed at strengthening regulatory efficiency and data integrity across the sector.
He highlighted Project NEXUS, designed to transform the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and Project 365, an initiative focused on automating the Authority’s processes and services.
According to him, reliable data remains critical to effective regulation and policy formulation. He noted that NMDPRA is leveraging technology to improve product tracking across the value chain and reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to working closely with NEITI to strengthen transparency and accountability in the industry.
Also, the NEITI Executive Secretary requested NMDPRA’s support in providing data and information for the agency’s forthcoming industry reports, including information on refinery operations and beneficial ownership in the midstream and downstream sectors.
He also invited the Authority to participate in NEITI’s exhibition at the 2026 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Conference scheduled for October 8 and 9, 2026, in Brussels, Belgium.
In separate remarks, the Authority’s Executive Director of Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations, and Transportation Infrastructure (HPPITI), Mr. Francis Ogaree, and the Executive Director, Economic Regulation and Strategic Planning (ER&SP), Prof Zainab Gobir, assured NEITI of the Authority’s full cooperation in advancing transparency and data driven regulation in the sector.
