LAGOS- Energy regulators and industry stakeholders across Africa have renewed calls for regional integration, harmonised policies, and greater investment to enhance sustainability and competitiveness in the continent’s oil and gas markets.
The appeal came during the 19th Oil Trading and Logistics (OTL) Africa Downstream Energy Week 2025 held on Wednesday in Lagos.
The conference, with the theme ‘Energy Sustainability: Growth Beyond Boundaries and Competition,’ drew participants from across the continent.
Speakers agreed that fragmented regulatory frameworks and inconsistent energy policies hinder market integration and growth, in spite of Africa’s abundance of natural resources.
Director-General of Sierra Leone’s National Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Mr Brima Koroma, said Africa’s oil and gas industry was at a “pivotal juncture” requiring coordinated regulation.
“Our market is so closed that what we need is not more divergence but policy harmony,” Koroma said.
He noted that fragmentation of laws, standards, licensing, and tax regimes across Africa weakens collective leverage and discourages investment.
Koroma warned that without unified frameworks, conflicting policies would continue to deter investors, restrict trade, and create inefficiencies in pricing and supply.
He outlined a five-step pathway towards integration, including harmonised regulations, policy flexibility, and promotion of shared refineries and pipelines.
“Regional regulatory integration will promote predictability and stability,” he added.
Mr Musa Njie, Director of Petroleum at The Gambia’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, said harmonisation was vital for smaller economies dependent on imported petroleum products.
He stated that aligning national rules with ECOWAS directives would boost energy security, attract investors, and position The Gambia as a regional energy hub.
“Harmonisation makes The Gambia’s market more attractive by ensuring clear, consistent, and predictable regulations,” Njie said.
He added that joint infrastructure and coordinated policy would strengthen regional cooperation and trade.
Njie also highlighted The Gambia’s digitalisation drive, including new inspection systems and testing facilities to improve fuel quality assurance.
Chief Executive Officer of OTL Downstream Development Africa Ltd., Mrs Joyce Akabogu, emphasised the downstream sector’s central role in Africa’s economic transformation.
“The downstream is where energy meets the people, where policy becomes impact, and where governance is most visible,” she said.
She called for bold investments in refining, storage, and distribution infrastructure to reduce dependence on imported fuels.
According to Akabogu, regional cooperation and innovation are essential to driving Africa’s energy transition.
“We need regional value chains that enable local refining, regional trade, and shared benefits,” she noted.
She urged governments to harmonise regulations to make cross-border trade seamless and attractive to investors.
Akabogu also called for skills development, cleaner technologies, and environmental sustainability across the energy value chain.
“If we align our infrastructure, policies, and talent, we can transform the downstream into a catalyst for sustainable growth,” she said.
She also urged collaboration beyond national borders to build an inclusive and globally competitive African energy industry. (NAN)
