The announcement was made during the inaugural executive committee meeting of AFRIPERF, held virtually yesterday. Eyoanwan Ndiyo-Aiyetan was appointed as the Forum’s secretary.
Komolafe, an engineer who previously served as interim chairman, expressed his commitment to creating a harmonised and collaborative regulatory environment across Africa. “A strong Executive Committee will help drive initiatives that promote investment, streamline regulations, and support Africa’s strategic positioning in an evolving global energy space,” he said during his opening remarks.
The meeting, attended by representatives from 16 African countries, was convened to select leadership, determine the headquarters, and approve the Forum’s logo. Of the attending countries, eight have ratified the AFRIPERF treaty, granting them full membership and voting rights.
In his acceptance speech, Komolafe thanked his African counterparts for their trust and pledged that no member country would be left behind under his leadership.
AFRIPERF’s Mandate
The Forum aims to strengthen regional petroleum governance by fostering collaboration and coordination among member regulators. Its objectives include harmonising petroleum regulations, enhancing regulatory capacity through training, promoting dialogue with industry stakeholders and international organisations, and addressing regional challenges.
Additionally, AFRIPERF seeks to facilitate knowledge sharing, promote cross-border energy infrastructure development, present a unified voice for Africa in global hydrocarbon discourse, encourage technology transfer, and advance best practices. The Forum also advocates for transparency, ethical practices, sustainable energy development, and increased investment in African petroleum exploration.
The decision to establish Nigeria as AFRIPERF’s headquarters underscores the country’s central role in Africa’s petroleum sector as the continent’s largest crude oil producer.
