Farouk Ahmed, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the NMDPRA, spoke during a stakeholders’ workshop on Tuesday in Abuja.

Represented by Francis Ogaree, NMDPRA’s executive director of hydrocarbon processing plants, installations, and transportation infrastructure, Ahmed said the authority is focused on stimulating local production in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive.

The NMDPRA boss said the current domestic production satisfies just 40 percent of market demand, with the remaining supply sourced through imports.

“That is to go back to what the President said. And for us to do that is to streamline to meet the shortfalls… which is about 30 to 40 percent,” he said.

“But if people are encouraged to produce and they know that we can streamline the 60 percent that is coming, they are going to be compelled to come and invest.”

Ahmed outlined requirements for lubricant importation, saying they align with NMDPRA’s mandate under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

He said the new measures aim to prevent the influx of low-quality lubricants and include launching a lubricant importation module on the lube oil blending plant (LOBP) portal via the NMDPRA website.

The NMDPRA boss said the module would be integrated with the Nigeria Customs Service’s ‘B’odogwu platform’ for seamless import clearance, real-time data tracking, and enhanced compliance enforcement.

Ahmed said the initiative is not intended to restrict trade but to uphold product integrity, support local production, and align with Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda.

He reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to ensuring that only high-quality lubricants are available in the market, thereby protecting engines, businesses, and consumer trust nationwide.