Uche Cecil Izuora
Nigerian Government will soon invite and licence importers of oil lubricants in a move to address concerns about mushrooming of substandard products in the domestic market.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), dropped this indication in Abuja, saying it will soon commence license issuance for lubricant importation, in a bid to eliminate substandard products into the country.
The Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, made this disclosure at a stakeholders’ workshop on Wednesday.
Ahmed, represented by Francis Ogaree, Executive Director of HPPITI, said the initiative aims to strengthen regulation and stop the circulation of low-quality and unauthorised lubricants in Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says it will begin the issuance of licences for lubricant importation to curb the influx of substandard and counterfeit lubricants into the country.”
It added “NMDPRA has also rolled out the Lubricant Importation Module on the Lube Oil Blending Plant (LOBP) Portal — a tool designed to simplify the application, approval, and monitoring process for lubricant imports.”
As part of the process, NMDPRA launched a Lubricant Importation Module on its LOBP Portal to streamline application, approval, and monitoring. Integrated with the Nigeria Customs Service’s B’Odogwu platform, it enables seamless clearance, tracking, and improved compliance.
The NMDPRA noted that the new licensing regime aligns with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which mandates the Authority to uphold quality and safety standards across all petroleum products, including lubricants.
Ahmed described the move as a critical step towards building a transparent, efficient, and quality-driven importation system that will support a more resilient and self-sufficient petroleum industry in Nigeria.
The Director of Liquid at HPPITI, Mrs. Ngozi Nwankwo, explained that the new requirements aim to eliminate substandard imports, improve transparency, support local blending, and safeguard both consumers and machinery.
She stated that the Lubricant Import Licence is an official approval granted by NMDPRA to eligible companies, and only traceable and compliant importers will be approved under the new system.
The Executive Director of the Lubricant Producers Association of Nigeria (LUPAN), Mr. Emeka Obidike, warned that the move could negatively affect existing lubricant plants and disrupt recent industry growth, with threats to over 200,000 direct jobs and could discourage investment in the lubricant sector.
Obidike added that it weakens the lubricant policy currently being developed by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and contradicts the government’s backward integration agenda.
Ahmed clarified that the initiative is not meant to restrict trade but to strengthen the industry by ensuring only high-quality lubricants enter the market, which aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda to reduce import dependence and boost local production.