Nigeria and Seven Countries Sign AFRIPERF Charter to Boost Investment and Align Petroleum Regulations Across Africa
Nigeria has signed a charter establishing the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), a new continental body designed to harmonize petroleum regulations, attract investment, and strengthen governance across Africa’s oil and gas sector.
The charter was endorsed by regulators from eight countries—Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea, and Togo—while representatives from seven additional nations pledged to join after internal consultations, according to Eniola Akinkuotu, Head of Media and Strategic Communications at Nigeria’s Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
NUPRC Chief Executive and Interim AFRIPERF Chairman, Gbenga Komolafe, described the 4th AFRIPERF Meeting and Charter Signing as a decisive step toward building a more unified and sustainable petroleum industry in Africa.
“As the world shifts toward cleaner energy systems, Africa must manage its vast hydrocarbon resources with innovation, responsibility, and foresight,” Komolafe said.
He noted that AFRIPERF’s journey began at the 8th SAIPEC Conference, followed by its inauguration at the NOG 2024 event, the drafting of its charter, and now its formal signing.
The forum will be anchored by three core structures:
Executive Committee – comprising heads of national oil and gas regulatory agencies, serving as the oversight body.
Technical Committee – made up of subject-matter experts from member states and partners to address priority regulatory issues.
Secretariat – staffed with representatives from various countries, with appointments ratified by the Executive Committee.
Komolafe explained that AFRIPERF will provide regulators with a platform to harmonize policies, address shared challenges, and ensure Africa has a stronger voice in global petroleum discussions.
The charter sets out the forum’s mission to foster cooperation among African regulators, encourage knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and adoption of global best practices, and strengthen regional energy security.
Next Steps
Following the signing, AFRIPERF will:
Invite nominations for its Chairperson (Article 12).
Appoint country representatives (Article 10).
Designate its headquarters (Article 25).
The 2025 meeting drew regulators from 16 countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea, Togo, Kenya, Mauritania, Benin, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, and Morocco. Nigerian Senator Etang Williams, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Upstream, attended as an observer.
Komolafe praised regulators and stakeholders for their contributions, noting that AFRIPERF represents the realization of a proposal he first introduced in 2024 to create a continental platform for strengthening petroleum governance.
