As Nigeria ramps up domestic refining capacity, Ogbechie emphasized the need for a pricing framework guided by transparency, equity, and fairness to all stakeholders, including consumers. “If oil is being produced locally, it is important that everyone prioritizes what is produced locally,” he said, noting that a clear and balanced pricing structure is essential for sustainable market growth.
Ogbechie cautioned that unpredictable or inequitable pricing could damage the market and erode value instead of creating it. He stressed that operators need clarity and consistency to plan, invest, and expand confidently. The downstream sector has faced major disruptions in recent years, primarily due to idle state-owned refineries and heavy dependence on imported petroleum products.
“The advent of the Dangote refinery over the last two years has been a blessing to the country and a game-changer for the industry,” Ogbechie noted, highlighting the refinery’s contribution to boosting domestic supply. He added, however, that long-term progress depends on collaboration rather than rivalry between local refiners and downstream marketers.
Distribution inefficiencies also remain a critical challenge. Ogbechie criticized Nigeria’s overreliance on road transportation for moving petroleum products over long distances, calling it economically unsustainable and damaging to national infrastructure. “It does not make sense to move petroleum products from Lagos to Sokoto by truck over a distance of more than 1,000 kilometres,” he remarked.
He advocated for a revival of the country’s extensive but underutilized pipeline network, which connects refineries to major cities including Port Harcourt, Aba, Enugu, Makurdi, Kaduna, Jos, Gombe, Yola, Kano, and Warri. According to Ogbechie, addressing pipeline vandalism and theft through intelligence-led monitoring and robust legal frameworks is key to restoring confidence in pipeline transport and reducing reliance on trucks.
On regulatory matters, Ogbechie expressed support for the industry regulator, Engineer Saidu Mohammed, who has pledged to maintain a “fair but firm” approach in overseeing the sector.
With rising domestic refining capacity and a need for efficient distribution, the downstream petroleum market in Nigeria faces both opportunity and risk. Ogbechie’s message underscores that transparent pricing, collaboration among stakeholders, and infrastructure optimization are critical to realizing the sector’s potential.