North-West Stakeholders Rally in Kaduna, Push for Stronger Citizen Role in Oil Sector Reforms

Stakeholders and youths from across the North-West gathered in Kaduna on Monday to discuss the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and the need for citizens to take a more active role in governance.

The meeting, held under the First Citizens Connect Conference – Nigeria, focused on the theme: “Amplifying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through Excellence in Regulatory Frameworks and Upstream Oil and Gas Performance as a Catalyst for Sustainable Economic Prosperity Beyond 2027.”

Participants—including traditional rulers, academics, policymakers, civil society groups, and community leaders—examined Nigeria’s economic direction and the importance of civic engagement in driving reforms.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Usman Mohammed of Kaduna State University described current oil and gas sector reforms as essential to Nigeria’s economic recovery and long-term growth. He urged citizens to support efforts to promote transparency, efficiency, and national self-reliance.

In his presentation, Mohammed emphasized that Nigeria’s path to inclusive growth depends on strong regulatory systems and improved upstream oil production. He noted that the country’s vast energy resources—about 37 billion barrels of crude oil and 209 trillion cubic feet of gas—remain underutilised due to inefficiencies, subsidy challenges, and weak institutional structures.

He stressed that although the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 marked a turning point by creating two dedicated regulators—the NUPRC and the NMDPRA—real progress hinges on proper implementation. Mohammed lamented that Nigeria produced only about 1.4 million barrels of oil per day in 2024, far below its OPEC quota, due to persistent oil theft, vandalism, and dilapidated infrastructure.

He proposed key policy priorities, including full activation of regulatory agencies, digital monitoring of facilities, rehabilitation of pipelines and terminals, incentives to boost gas utilisation, and strict enforcement of local content. He warned that regulatory reforms must align with broader fiscal and anti-corruption measures for meaningful impact.

Mohammed also urged citizens to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty by supporting reforms internally and resisting foreign influence disguised as partnership.

Speaking earlier, co-convener of the Citizens Engagement Conference, Mallam Nasir Abdulquadri, explained that the initiative serves as a platform to connect leadership with citizens and deepen participatory governance nationwide. He described Kaduna as a symbolic choice for the North-West edition, given its historical and intellectual significance.

Abdulquadri praised President Tinubu for strengthening the PIA framework with difficult but necessary policies such as subsidy removal and deregulation, which he said are paving the way for private investment, refinery upgrades, and growth in modular refining.

He warned against external interference and divisive politics, noting that while collaboration is welcome, Nigerians must safeguard the country’s ability to reform itself without undermining its stability.