ECOWAS unified fuel standard talks at advanced stage – NMDPRA

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has disclosed that conversations on an integrated regional energy market, especially the uniform fuel standard, have reached an “advanced stage” within the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS).

Rabiu Umar, the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA and Chairman of the West Africa Regulators’ Forum (WARF), disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview session with newsmen on the sidelines of the second West Africa Refined Fuel Market Conference in Abuja.

The disclosure comes days after the authority called for a West African market where products move more efficiently, supply is more secure, investors have greater confidence, regional trade expands, and prices increasingly reflect the fundamentals of the market.

What the NMDPRA is saying

Rabiu Umar, told the press that the region needed to move towards integration and ensure that each country is positioned to leverage its strengths.

• “That way there will not be duplication of every single infrastructure,” he warned.
• He also confirmed that conversations through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to unify the quality standard of fuel “have reached an advanced stage.”

On the uniform price benchmark, he said the right conversations are happening, and there are concrete steps to achieve those goals.

• He disclosed that the first step is to unify the quality of fuel products, adding that “if you don’t have the same quality, then it’s difficult, because each quality has a price.”
• “So if you have 50 PPM product or you have a 200 PPM product, they don’t price the same way.
• “So the first thing we are trying to do, through the West Africa Regulators Forum, is to make sure that there is uniformity in terms of the product quality specification,” he added.
• He said the next step is to look at liquidity, “because if you do not have the molecules, it’s difficult to have a price benchmark.”

He agreed that while Nigeria has some inefficient refineries, the country is hosting the largest single refinery in Nigeria and, because of that, the Dangote refinery is significantly changing the flow of products.

• “We’ve seen products now moving from Africa, going to Europe,” he said.

He said the next move is to determine how to ensure that investments are sustained as the nation grows in terms of capacity.

• “That’s the only way you can have the required liquidity to have a trading hub in Africa,” he added.

He stressed that there will have to be a free flow of petroleum products across borders if the integrated market is to work.

S&P optimistic about regional price benchmark

Asked by Nairametrics to confirm whether the regional price benchmark is achievable for the region, the Head of Platts at S&P Global Energy, Vera Blei, said it “is achievable,” but the necessary stakeholders must come together.

• “It’s for the industry to choose to make the benchmarks. And what do I mean by that? So, first of all, it’s about what can the authorities, what can regulators, what can governments do, using these prices as references for different domestic formulas, or whatever it may be?
• “And it is for the industry to decide whether they want to use the benchmarks that are available in the global market, or really embrace and make the region grow,” she said.

She highlighted that the regional price benchmark is not going to happen overnight, as stakeholders must “think collectively” about the pathway to achieving it.

More insights

The ECOWAS Directorate of Energy and Mines recently organised a study tour from July 13–15, 2026, in Accra, Ghana, on the implementation of ECOWAS Directive C/DIR.1/9/2020 on Harmonized Specifications for Automotive Fuels (Gasoline and Diesel) and fuel quality enforcement.

The tour was part of efforts to provide an excellent opportunity for participants to brainstorm on fuel quality enforcement, exchange best practices, identify common implementation challenges, and strengthen cooperation among regulatory institutions across the ECOWAS region for the effective implementation of the regional Directive.

The study tour was attended by senior officials from ECOWAS member states’ ministries in charge of hydrocarbons, downstream petroleum regulatory authorities, national petroleum companies, and refineries.

What you should know

ECOWAS Directive C/DIR.1/9/2020 on Harmonized Specifications for Automotive Fuels was adopted in September 2020 by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

The framework establishes common specifications for gasoline and diesel across member states, setting, among other parameters, the sulphur content limit at 50 ppm.

The framework stipulates that effective implementation will reduce harmful vehicle emissions, protect public health, facilitate cross-border petroleum trade, discourage the circulation of substandard fuels, and create a more integrated regional petroleum market.