…As Sen. Kawu says lawmakers poised to expose rot, plug policy gaps in Nigeria’s oil reform law
By Joy Odor, Abuja
In what could trigger the most consequential shake-up in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector since 2021, the Senate has announced plans to review the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) over alleged inefficiencies, corruption, and regulatory loopholes stalling the law’s intent.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum, Senator Kawu Sumaila (Kano South), disclosed this while briefing journalists after a closed-door session on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 shortly after the Committee Meeting.
He said the Upper Chamber is responding to “mounting concerns” from industry stakeholders and citizens frustrated by the PIA’s faltering implementation.
“There is a need for us to listen to the concerns of stakeholders, especially on the PIA, and expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution and administration of laws within our legislative competence,” Sumaila stated.
Srn. Kawu revealed that the committee has commenced moves to collate and harmonise complaints from host communities, marketers, investors, and regulators, adding that the findings will form the basis for possible legislative amendments to the Act.
“We will put our heads together and collect all the concerns of Nigerians on the operation of the PIA and its subsidiaries. Very soon, we will compile these issues for possible legislative amendments,” he added.
The PIA, enacted in 2021 after nearly two decades of legislative delays, was meant to reposition Nigeria’s petroleum sector for transparency, competitiveness, and host community development. But four years on, the law faces growing criticism over rising energy costs, fiscal ambiguities, and regulatory overlaps that have left investors jittery and host communities disillusioned.
Industry watchers say the Senate’s intervention could reopen fierce debates over revenue sharing, subsidy policy, and the power dynamics between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its regulators, a move that may redefine the future of Nigeria’s oil economy.
