The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has unveiled draft regulations aimed at preventing anti-competitive practices in Nigeria's petroleum industry.

The proposed rules would prohibit petroleum companies from fixing fuel prices, restricting product supply, sharing markets or coordinating commercial decisions that could distort competition across the midstream and downstream sectors.

The proposed Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Prevention of Anti-Competitive Practices and Behaviour Regulations, 2026, also seek to curb practices such as pump price coordination, artificial scarcity, bid rigging, customer allocation, exclusive supply arrangements and the exchange of commercially sensitive information among competitors.

The move follows concerns over pricing practices in the downstream sector after independent marketers alleged in July that some major fuel importers were selling Premium Motor Spirit at coordinated prices higher than those of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.