Rita Odafe
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has refuted claims that it instructed a halt in gas supply to power generation entities.
In its December 11 statement, the authority clarified that it did not tell wholesale gas suppliers to cease gas delivery due to any issues with payments.
The NMDPRA labeled information suggesting it had ordered a gas supply stoppage to power companies due to over N2 trillion in debt as “untrue and baseless.”
“This has no connection to the discussions held during a recent stakeholders’ engagement in Lagos with the Authority, the OPTS, IPPG, and other industry participants,” it stated.
This engagement aimed to inform stakeholders about the responsibilities, advantages, and opportunities tied to the wholesale supply license as outlined in sections 142 and 197 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
It followed an earlier meeting at NMDPRA’s Abuja headquarters on November 27, 2024.
The NMDPRA reassured all stakeholders and the public that there was no truth to the false claims. It urged everyone to disregard the misleading reports, emphasizing that efforts are focused on maintaining an uninterrupted supply and distribution of natural gas and petroleum products, especially as the festive season and 2025 approaches.
