Harmonized Regulations, Fuel Quality Standards To Broaden West Africa’s Energy Market

Countries in West Africa are exploring ways to harmonise regulations and fuel quality standards across West Africa to ease cross-border trade and improve market integration.

Leading the call is the West Africa Regulatory Forum (WARF) which is calling on countries in the region to increase investment in oil and gas infrastructure and improve operational efficiency to support the development of credible regional fuel price benchmarks.

The chairman of WARF and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Rabiu Umar, made the call at the 2026 West Africa Refined Fuel Market Conference in Abuja.

The conference, themed: “Funding West Africa Infrastructure and Distribution to Create a Transparent Market for Regional Price Benchmark,” is focused on strengthening the region’s energy market through improved infrastructure, enhanced supply security and transparent pricing mechanisms.

Organized in collaboration with S&P Global Commodity Insights (Platts), the event is also exploring ways to harmonise regulations and fuel quality standards across West Africa to ease cross-border trade and improve market integration.

The chief executive of the NMDPRA, Rabiu Umar, said regional integration was essential to optimize existing assets, eliminate duplication, and channel investment into infrastructure with the greatest economic impact.

He stressed that efficient regional trading requires reliable movement of petroleum products from refineries to storage facilities, terminals, ports, and final markets across national borders.

Head of S&P Global Commodity Insights, Platts, Vera Blei, said West Africa must strengthen its refining capacity, improve supply chains, and expand logistics infrastructure to establish a pricing system that accurately reflects regional market realities.

Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, said transparent pricing across the petroleum value chain is fundamental to building investor confidence and developing a credible regional benchmark.

She noted that a regional pricing mechanism must be based on actual transactions, reliable market data, sufficient liquidity, and strong institutions rather than policy declarations.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said West Africa must build a strong and integrated energy market capable of attracting global investment across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.