The Federal Government has announced that all petrol supplied in Nigeria now meets a maximum sulphur content standard of 50 parts per million (ppm), ending the era of high-sulphur fuels commonly described as dirty fuels.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a press briefing ahead of the Second West Africa Refined Fuel Conference scheduled for 11 and 12 August.
The Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Rabiu Umar, said Nigeria would no longer allow the supply of petroleum products that exceed the 50ppm sulphur limit, adding that the country had made progress in aligning its fuel specifications with regional and continental standards.
“There has been progress in harmonising fuel specifications through the West Africa Regulators Forum and the Africa Refiners and Distributors Association. Nigeria does not produce anything above 50ppm. Whatever we are producing and supplying is within that specification,” Umar said.
The development marks a major shift from previous years when Nigeria faced criticism over the importation of petroleum products with high sulphur content, which were linked to increased air pollution and public health concerns.
Umar said adopting a common fuel specification across West Africa would promote easier movement of petroleum products between countries by reducing technical barriers to regional trade.
He added that Nigeria’s improved fuel quality standards would strengthen its position as a supplier of refined petroleum products to neighbouring African markets as refining capacity expands across the continent.
The NMDPRA also highlighted the role of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in boosting domestic fuel supply and supporting exports to other African countries.
Beyond fuel quality, the regulator identified improved infrastructure, harmonised regulations and the development of a regional petroleum pricing benchmark as key measures needed to attract investment and strengthen West Africa’s downstream petroleum sector.
Umar said the upcoming conference was aimed at establishing West Africa as a transparent and competitive regional marketplace where petroleum products could be traded efficiently.
He said the initiative would help address the challenge of Africa producing large volumes of crude oil while relying heavily on external markets to determine prices for refined petroleum products.
“The vision is to establish West Africa as a credible regional marketplace where petroleum products can be traded efficiently, transparently and competitively,” Umar said.
According to the NMDPRA, achievements since the first conference in 2025 include the creation of the West Africa Regulators Forum, the publication of West African reference prices and the establishment of S&P Global Commodity Insights’ regional office in Abuja.
This year’s conference, themed “Funding West Africa Infrastructure and Distribution to Create a Transparent Market for Regional Price Benchmarks,” is expected to bring together regulators, investors, financial institutions and industry stakeholders to discuss investment opportunities in pipelines, storage facilities, marine infrastructure, logistics networks, digital trading platforms and strategic petroleum reserves.
Umar stressed that efficient energy markets depended on strong infrastructure, noting that investment in pipelines, storage facilities, ports, rail systems and refineries would reduce costs, improve energy security and promote regional integration.
He also renewed calls for the creation of an African petroleum pricing benchmark, arguing that major energy markets around the world operate with their own pricing indices and that Africa should develop a similar mechanism as refining capacity grows.
The conference is expected to result in new investment partnerships, infrastructure financing initiatives, stronger regulatory cooperation and policy recommendations aimed at building a transparent and competitive refined petroleum market in West Africa.
