MEMAN pushes for deep reforms to unlock Nigeria’s downstream energy market
By Yunus Yusuf
The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) has renewed its call for robust policy and structural reforms in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, urging government to create a more competitive, transparent and investor-friendly market ahead of 2026.
Speaking in an exclusive interview in Lagos on Thursday, MEMAN’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Clement Isong, said the association was advocating policy outcomes that are fully aligned with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and capable of delivering a truly fair and open marketplace.
According to Isong, MEMAN is seeking reforms that guarantee a level playing field for all operators, improve efficiency across the entire value chain and institutionalise global best-practice health, safety and environmental (HSE) standards.
He stressed that such reforms must be implemented with clear timelines and predictable regulatory oversight to restore investor confidence and strengthen the resilience of Nigeria’s energy distribution system.
“PIA-consistent policy outcomes are critical if we are to attract long-term investment and protect end users,” he said.
“Certainty, transparency and coordination are essential to building a market that works for both investors and consumers.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Isong said MEMAN’s strategic priorities would focus on strengthening coordination among stakeholders, deliberately managing the sector’s multiple transitions and fully operationalising the PIA.
He noted that priority actions include establishing clearer leadership and coordination mechanisms, sequencing reforms to minimise disruptions and ensuring affordability for consumers.
He added that effective implementation of the PIA must translate into a predictable market environment that supports sustainable investment while safeguarding consumer interests.
Reflecting on developments in 2025, Isong described the most significant challenge as the overlap of multiple transitions across the downstream value chain.
He explained that customers, regulators, government institutions and market operators were all adjusting simultaneously, creating uncertainty and uneven implementation of reforms.
“This period has been a steep learning curve for the industry,” he said.
He added that MEMAN members responded by intensifying stakeholder engagement, making targeted operational adjustments and consistently advocating coordinated and predictable reform implementation.
Isong expressed optimism that with sustained collaboration and policy clarity, Nigeria’s downstream sector could emerge stronger, more efficient and better positioned to meet the country’s long-term energy needs.
