Hundreds of energy activists marched through Abuja yesterday to voice their opposition to the proposed National Commission for the Decommissioning of Oil and Gas Installations (NC-DOGI) Bill, 2024.

The protest, led by the Energy Reforms Advocates of Nigeria (ERAN), targeted what they described as a redundant and costly government body. At a press briefing, ERAN Executive Director Comr. Abba Henry criticized the bill, warning it could undermine the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and create unnecessary bureaucracy in the oil and gas sector.

“Nigeria is already struggling with debt. Establishing a new commission that will consume billions to oversee aging oil infrastructure is wasteful,” Henry said. He argued that existing agencies—the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)—already have the legal authority, personnel, and technical capability to manage decommissioning projects.

ERAN warned that NC-DOGI could create confusion, deter investors, and foster corruption. “When one agency approves a plan, another supervises the work, and a third competes over contracts, investors will simply take their money elsewhere,” Henry added, highlighting the risk of capital flight to countries like Ghana.

The activists emphasized that the PIA, only four years old, is still being implemented and should not be disrupted by additional legislation. ERAN launched a public campaign under the slogan “KILL THIS BILL,” pledging petitions, town halls across oil-producing communities, and potential legal action to block its passage.

Addressing the Senate President and Speaker of the House directly, Henry issued a clear warning: “Do not let this bill see the light of day. Bury it now so Nigeria can avoid needless expenditure and maintain stability in the oil sector.”