NMDPRA Proposes 138 Rules to Check Unfair Competition, Monopoly in Oil Sector

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has proposed 138 new regulations to address unfair competition, monopoly, and abuse of market power in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector. The proposed Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Prevention of Anticompetitive Practices and Behaviour Regulations, 2026, contained in 23 parts, aims to establish detailed competition rules. If finalised, the rules would prohibit practices such as price-fixing, collusion, market allocation, bid rigging, coordinated supply restrictions, and abuse of dominant positions. The regulations would also scrutinise contracts, mergers, and joint ventures, with the downstream regulator and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) set to deepen coordination.

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