An examination of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021: prospects, challenges, and the way forward

Background: The study examines the gaps in the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) that could hinder the effective application of the Act in attaining its objectives. The repealed Petroleum Act of 1969 became obsolete and largely incapable of meeting the emerging global best practices in the industry due to inadequate sanctions, failure to address the aspirations of the people of the oil-bearing states, among others. Hence, the need for the PIA of 2021 to overhaul the industry to meet global standards though some controversial provisions that pose challenges to its proper implementation. Methods: The study examines the PIA to identify its prospects, challenges, and the way forward. The methodology the study utilises is doctrinal research with reports from existing literature and tertiary data sources such as newspapers, the Internet, and websites. Pertinent data collected from these sources were theoretically analysed and argued with current literature on the subject. Results: The finding is that the PIA does not make adequate provisions for the energy transition in line with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris agreement; the PIA was provided for weak institutions, which translates to weak implementation and enforcement of the law which further widening the gap between the law and reality. Conclusions: The study concluded that, although the Act delivered the much-needed stability in the petroleum industry in Nigeria, there is a need for an overhaul of the Act to further protect the interest of host communities and allow for co-ownership of petroleum resources by the state government.