We Lost Around $50bn Due To Non-Passage Of PIB — Buhari

Nigeria lost an estimated $50 billion worth of oil and gas
industry investments in ten years as a result of stagnation in the
industry occasioned by uncertainties created by the failure to pass
the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this on Wednesday in his
remarks at a ceremony on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act
(PIA) 2021, which preceded the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
meeting at the State House, Abuja.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said the stagnation affected
growth of the economy, citing lack of political will on the part of
past administrations to actualise the needed transformation.

Buhari said assent of the Petroleum Industry Bill on August 16,
2021, marks the end of decades of uncertainty and under-investment
in the petroleum industry.

“We are all aware that past Administrations have identified the
need to further align the industry for global competitiveness, but
there was lack of political will to actualise this needed
transformation.

“This lack of progress has stagnated the growth of the industry
and the prosperity of our economy. In the past ten years, Nigeria
has lost an estimated US$50billion worth of investments due to
uncertainty created by the non-passage of the PIB.

“This administration believes that the timely passage of the
Petroleum Industry Bill will help our country attract investments
across the oil and gas value chain.

“In view of the value our Nation and investors will derive from
a stable fiscal framework for the oil and gas industry, our
Administration has found it necessary to work with the two Chambers
of the National Assembly to ensure the passage of the PIB, ’’ he
said.

Buhari noted that signing of the bill was part of the
administration’s commitment to building a competitive and resilient
petroleum industry that will attract investment, improve our
revenue base, create jobs and support our economic diversification
agenda.

The President said as a “nation that depends on oil resources
for the development of other sectors, Nigeria runs a Petroleum
Industry that is governed largely by laws enacted over 50 years ago
such as the principal legislation; the Petroleum Act of 1969 and
other obsolete legislations.’’

He said the Presidential assent of the bill to “Petroleum
Industry Act 2021” marked the beginning of the journey towards a
competitive and resilient petroleum industry that will attract
investments to support the nation’s Economic Recovery and Growth
Plan.

Nigeria lost an estimated $50 billion worth of oil and gas
industry investments in ten years as a result of stagnation in the
industry occasioned by uncertainties created by the failure to pass
the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this on Wednesday in his
remarks at a ceremony on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act
(PIA) 2021, which preceded the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
meeting at the State House, Abuja.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said the stagnation affected
growth of the economy, citing lack of political will on the part of
past administrations to actualise the needed transformation.

Buhari said assent of the Petroleum Industry Bill on August 16,
2021, marks the end of decades of uncertainty and under-investment
in the petroleum industry.

“We are all aware that past Administrations have identified the
need to further align the industry for global competitiveness, but
there was lack of political will to actualise this needed
transformation.

“This lack of progress has stagnated the growth of the industry
and the prosperity of our economy. In the past ten years, Nigeria
has lost an estimated US$50billion worth of investments due to
uncertainty created by the non-passage of the PIB.

“This administration believes that the timely passage of the
Petroleum Industry Bill will help our country attract investments
across the oil and gas value chain.

“In view of the value our Nation and investors will derive from
a stable fiscal framework for the oil and gas industry, our
Administration has found it necessary to work with the two Chambers
of the National Assembly to ensure the passage of the PIB, ’’ he
said.

Buhari noted that signing of the bill was part of the
administration’s commitment to building a competitive and resilient
petroleum industry that will attract investment, improve our
revenue base, create jobs and support our economic diversification
agenda.

The President said as a “nation that depends on oil resources
for the development of other sectors, Nigeria runs a Petroleum
Industry that is governed largely by laws enacted over 50 years ago
such as the principal legislation; the Petroleum Act of 1969 and
other obsolete legislations.’’

He said the Presidential assent of the bill to “Petroleum
Industry Act 2021” marked the beginning of the journey towards a
competitive and resilient petroleum industry that will attract
investments to support the nation’s Economic Recovery and Growth
Plan.