Nigeria has led the signing of a landmark charter establishing the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), a body designed to harmonise petroleum regulations and attract investment across the continent.
The signing took place on Thursday at the 31st Africa Oil Week in Accra, Ghana, with the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, presiding as Interim Chairman of the forum.
According to NUPRC spokesperson Eniola Akinkuotu, regulators from eight countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea and Togo — endorsed the charter, while seven others signalled plans to join after consultations.
Komolafe described the agreement as a decisive step toward a harmonised and sustainable African petroleum industry. He noted that as the world shifts toward cleaner energy, Africa must manage its oil and gas resources with innovation, responsibility and foresight. He added that AFRIPERF would provide a unified platform for regulators to strengthen cooperation, tackle shared challenges and ensure Africa’s voice is heard in global energy debates.
The charter sets out a framework for collaboration through an executive committee of regulatory chiefs, a technical committee of experts and a coordinating secretariat. It also outlines plans for elections of a substantive chairperson, the appointment of representatives from member states, and the designation of a headquarters.
The event was attended by regulators from 16 African countries, with Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Upstream, represented by Senator Etang Williams, present as an observer.
The development marks the culmination of a process initiated by Komolafe in 2024, when he first proposed the creation of AFRIPERF. The forum held its inaugural meeting in July 2024, followed by another in November, laying the groundwork for Thursday’s breakthrough.
