By: ThinkBusiness Africa
The newly established African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF) has officially chosen Nigeria as its headquarters. Furthermore, the forum unanimously elected Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), as its substantive Chairman. NUPRC said in a statement posted on its official X (formerly twitter) handle on Wednesday.
The decisions were ratified during AFRIPERF’s inaugural executive committee meeting, held virtually earlier this week marking a decisive step toward harmonizing and strengthening petroleum governance across the continent. Nigeria’s Commission Chief Executive (CCE), who had served as the interim chairman since the forum’s inception, will now lead the body officially.
Mr. Komolafe election and the adoption of Nigeria as the official headquarters of AFRIPERF affirm the country’s central role as Africa’s largest crude oil producer and a leader in regulatory reform. The inaugural meeting, which saw the attendance of representatives from 16 African nations, also confirmed Eyoanwan Ndiyo-Aiyetan as the forum’s secretary.
Nigeria’s crude oil production is the highest in Africa with 1.55 million barrels per day (mbpd) followed by Libya 1.30 mbpd; thirdly Angola with 1.03 mbpd. According to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
In his acceptance speech, Komolafe thanked his African counterparts, emphasizing the forum’s role in creating a unified and collaborative environment. He also promised to ensure that “no member country is left behind” as the forum pursues its mandate.
AFRIPERF was initially spearheaded by Nigeria, with the official charter signed by regulators from eight countries—including Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea, and Togo—on the sidelines of the Africa Oil Week in September 2025.
The forum’s core mission is to strengthen regional petroleum governance by fostering cooperation, collaboration, and coordination among member regulators.
