Nigeria has led seven other African countries to sign a charter which birthed the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), to strengthen petroleum governance across Africa.

The charter was signed yesterday by Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea and Togo at a ceremony chaired by the Commission Chief Executive (CCE) Of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, on the sidelines of the 31st edition of the Africa Oil Week (AOW) in Accra, Ghana.

At the event which was gracefully attended by regulators from 16 African countries, regulators from eight African countries formally endorsed the AFRIPERF Charter, while seven others present expressed support with a pledge to join at a future date after consultations.

A statement signed by NUPRC’s Head, Media and Strategic Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, noted that besides the countries on the charter, others in attendance were: Kenya, Mauritania, Benin, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Morocco.

This historic milestone is the climax of the proposal first introduced by Engineer Komolafe last year when he championed the creation of AFRIPERF to strengthen petroleum governance across Africa. The Forum held its inaugural meeting in July 2024, followed by a second gathering in November 2024, setting the stage for yesterday’s breakthrough.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Komolafe who doubles as the interim chairman of the forum, described the landmark 4th AFRIPERF Meeting and Charter Signing Ceremony as a decisive step towards building a harmonised and sustainable petroleum industry in Africa. The CCE noted that as the world navigates complex transitions toward cleaner, more sustainable energy systems, Africa must ensure that its vast hydrocarbon resources are managed with innovation, responsibility and foresight.