Abbas, Akpabio, Dangote, Oil Regulators, Industry Leaders to Converge for Reps’ Inaugural Downstream Week

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

A notable lineup of Nigeria’s top political and industry figures, including Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Africa’s foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, are set to participate in the inaugural House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) Week.

The event, billed for Monday, October 13, 2025, will bring together key stakeholders across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain, and is designed as a high-level platform for dialogue, regulatory clarity, and strategic collaboration to shape the future of the nation’s downstream petroleum sector.

According to a statement issued by the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, other expected dignitaries include the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.

Others are, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe; the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Refinery Owners Association, and Major Marketers and Distributors are also billed to attend.

Ugochinyere said the weeklong event will be declared open by Speaker Abbas, after which participants will engage in policy sessions focusing on the stability, sustainability, and expansion of the downstream sector.

Describing the forum as “Nigeria’s most influential petroleum industry stakeholders’ gathering,” Ugochinyere said it would serve as a marketplace of ideas for lawmakers, regulators, and investors to deliberate on market reforms, security of supply, and investment opportunities in the oil and gas downstream value chain.

He said, “It is a celebration of excellence in Nigeria’s petroleum downstream sector – a time to assess our progress, confront our challenges, and craft sustainable solutions for the sector’s growth,” he said.

The event he said, will climax with a Red Carpet Dinner and Awards Night, where excellence and innovation within the downstream industry will be recognized.

Ugochinyere added that the forum, organized in partnership with major industry players, aims to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and strengthen the link between government policy and private-sector investment.

“This summit is not just a meeting – it’s the beginning of a long-term policy conversation that will define Nigeria’s downstream energy future,” he said.