Stakeholders in the oil and gas industry have kicked against the proposed establishment of a new regulatory agency solely dedicated to the decommissioning and abandonment of oil production facilities.

Their opposition stems from the argument that existing structures are already adequately equipped for the task.

During an interactive session with lawmakers and key players in the sector, representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and other stakeholders argued that the creation of a new commission would amount to duplication of responsibilities and unnecessary bureaucracy.

The stakeholders, who spoke during an interactive session organised by the House committee on Petroleum (Upstream) chaired by Alhassan Doguwa, said the creation of a new commission would amount to duplication of responsibilities and unnecessary bureaucracy.

The meeting, brought together key stakeholders including officials from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (MPR), Ministry of Environment (FME), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and National Environmental Standards and Regulation.