Nigeria has spearheaded the creation of the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), marking a historic step towards strengthening petroleum governance across the continent.
The charter establishing the forum was signed on Thursday at a landmark ceremony held on the sidelines of the 31st Africa Oil Week (AOW) in Accra, Ghana. The event was chaired by the Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, who first proposed the initiative last year.
Regulators from 16 African countries were in attendance, including Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea, Togo, Kenya, Mauritania, Benin, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, and Morocco.
Of the participants, eight countries—Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea, and Togo—formally endorsed the AFRIPERF Charter. The other seven nations expressed support and pledged to join after further domestic consultations.
Also present at the ceremony was the Chairman of Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Upstream, Senator Etang Williams, who attended as an observer.
The establishment of AFRIPERF, described as a “historic milestone,” is expected to foster collaboration, promote regulatory best practices, and build a unified African voice in the global energy landscape.
