Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, has inaugurated an ad hoc committee to investigate decommissioning practices and compliance levels within Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
Speaking during the inauguration, Tajudeen said the investigation had become necessary to ensure full adherence to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), especially regarding decommissioning and abandonment obligations by operators.
He warned that lapses in compliance have implications for host communities, the environment, and the integrity of regulatory institutions.
“The committee is mandated to examine the level of compliance by industry operators with the law and to review the decommissioning and abandonment plans already submitted by companies,” Tajudeen said.
“This includes evaluating whether operators have made adequate financial arrangements to meet their obligations so that the country does not face future environmental or operational burdens. This assignment demands close attention to detail, adequate knowledge of relevant laws and independence of judgment.”
The Speaker assured the House’s full support for the committee and urged stakeholders in the sector to cooperate fully.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Akiba Ekpenyong (LP–Cross River), described the assignment as one of “great national importance.”
He said environmental degradation, economic losses, community conflicts, safety hazards, and institutional lapses associated with abandoned and non-decommissioned oil and gas facilities were now rampant across the country.
Ekpenyong noted that many installations had exceeded their design lifespan by decades, necessitating the enactment of the PIA.
“In carrying out this work, we shall engage with the NUPRC and MDPRA as primary regulators, as well as operators and licensees across all basins,” he said.
“We shall also engage civil society and academia. Our approach will be fair, professional, evidence-driven and transparent. This is not an adversarial inquiry; it is a national responsibility to secure our environment, protect our economy and uphold the rule of law.”
He urged the regulatory agencies—the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (MDPRA)—to provide full cooperation, noting that their technical submissions would be critical.
Ekpenyong also encouraged the agencies to ensure that operators and licensees under their supervision honour invitations issued by the committee.
He pledged that the committee would carry out its mandate diligently and meet the expectations of Nigerians.
