The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, has called for greater harmonisation of petroleum regulations across African countries to attract investment, improve market efficiency and strengthen the continent’s energy security.
He said aligning regulatory standards, licensing requirements and compliance procedures across jurisdictions would reduce barriers to doing business, enhance investor confidence and support the development of a more integrated African petroleum market.
Mr Tameklo made the call during a high-level panel discussion on regulatory convergence in African oil and gas markets at the 20th edition of the OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria.
He stressed that regulatory convergence should go beyond compliance and serve as a strategic mechanism for unlocking investment, promoting innovation and accelerating sustainable growth across the continent’s downstream petroleum industry.
The NPA chief also underscored the importance of investing in refining infrastructure, technology, storage facilities and human capital to increase value addition within Africa’s petroleum sector.
According to him, strengthening domestic refining capacity and facilitating technology transfer are essential to reducing dependence on imported petroleum products, improving energy security and creating sustainable employment opportunities.
He noted that greater investment in local refining and related infrastructure would enable African countries to maximise the economic benefits of their petroleum resources while strengthening their capacity to respond to disruptions in global energy markets.
Mr Tameklo further called for stronger collaboration among regulators, governments and industry stakeholders to facilitate cross-border energy projects, promote knowledge sharing and establish common standards to advance regional integration.
He said effective cooperation among African countries would help address regulatory inconsistencies that could impede the movement of petroleum products and limit the development of regional energy markets.
The NPA chief added that building strong regulatory institutions and developing a skilled workforce were critical to ensuring the long-term competitiveness and resilience of Africa’s energy industry.
He maintained that coordinated regulatory frameworks, supported by infrastructure development and institutional capacity, would position the continent to attract greater investment and improve the performance of its downstream petroleum sector.
The OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week brings together industry leaders, policymakers, regulators and energy experts to discuss developments and opportunities within Africa’s downstream petroleum industry.
Mr Tameklo’s participation highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and regulatory alignment in advancing a more efficient, competitive and sustainable African energy market.
Source: businesspostonline
