Nigeria is poised to stop importing fertiliser products and join the ranks of major urea-exporting countries within the next 24 months, according to the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed.
The NMDPRA boss made the declaration during a regulatory tour of key facilities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, including the Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Complex.
The visit forms part of executive oversight activities mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Mohammed highlighted ongoing expansions at Indorama and the Dangote Fertiliser Plant as game-changers for Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain.
“We have no business importing any of those things,” he stated. “With the expansion going on today at Indorama and many other places, including Dangote Fertilisers, I am sure that in the next 24 months Nigeria will join the league of urea-exporting countries, and that is where we should be.”
He described the midstream sector as capital-intensive, requiring $30–50 billion in investments to establish Nigeria as a regional hub for oil, gas, and value-added derivatives such as fertilisers and urea.
“What we have seen in Indorama is really a manifestation of what Nigeria needs to have,” Mohammed said.
“We need a lot of these in the midstream fertiliser plants and every value-addition opportunity from our hydrocarbon sources.
That is what the nation needs to propel growth.”While acknowledging past delays due to various challenges, he praised recent private-sector partnerships for delivering results.
“Today, we have found the right footsteps in partnership with the private sector. Indorama has really shown us that growth is growth, and we can continue to grow in that same direction,” he added.
The tour aimed to evaluate operational readiness, ensure regulatory alignment, support investors, promote safety standards, and provide the public with an accurate view of sector performance.
Mohammed noted that Rivers State serves as a critical hub with diverse infrastructure in gas processing, manufacturing, and refining, and he plans follow-up visits to cover more facilities.
He emphasised NMDPRA’s role in creating an enabling environment to facilitate expansion and attract new investment, with similar regulatory exercises set to roll out nationwide.
Indorama CEO Munish Jindal welcomed the visit as timely and valuable, allowing regulators to witness operational progress firsthand.
“These visits are always very important,” Jindal said. “It is important for the regulator to come and see with their own eyes what is happening and understand the changes that have been brought.”
He commended the current NMDPRA leadership and recalled Mohammed’s early involvement in the sector during the planning of Indorama’s Phase 2 and Phase 3 expansions.
Jindal also raised concerns about certain regulatory requirements he described as outdated for manufacturing-focused midstream operators, requesting exemptions where appropriate.
NMDPRA reaffirmed its commitment to aligning industry practices with national goals, positioning Nigeria as both an energy hub and a leader in oil and gas derivatives across Africa.
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