The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced major steps to regulate and streamline the quality of lubricants imported and produced in Nigeria, citing risks to machinery and national productivity.
During a stakeholder engagement session held in Abuja, NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed—represented by the Executive Director of Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations & Transportation Infrastructure (HPPITI), Francis Ogaree)—emphasized the importance of lubricant quality to the nation’s energy and industrial sectors.
As part of the move, the authority officially rolled out a Lubricant Importation Module on its Lube Oil Portal. The initiative is designed to enforce regulatory standards for all lubricants—whether imported or produced locally.
“This is a significant step toward building a more transparent, efficient, and quality-driven lubricant importation process,” Ahmed said. “It reflects our shared vision of a more resilient and self-sufficient petroleum industry in Nigeria.”
The session was attended by independent lubricant producers, major energy marketing companies, industrial lubricant consumers, and importers of the commodity. Discussions focused on the standardization and compliance framework that the new module will support.
NMDPRA noted that substandard lubricants have continued to cause equipment failures and productivity losses, highlighting the urgent need for industry-wide regulation.