Nigerian PIB stalls after inching forward

Senate completes second reading of the long-delayed bill before debate is adjourned for more than a month

Nigeria’s hopes of accelerating growth in its upstream sector appear set for further delay due to legislative time running out to debate its long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The bill is the centrepiece of Abuja’s efforts to reform its oil and gas industry and provide clarity on its fiscal regime. However, it may not become law until late December, at the very earliest, as Senate plenary sessions were suspended straight after the bill passed its second reading on 20 October. Senate president Ahmed Lawan announced that the upper chamber would adjourn until 24 November so ministers could concentrate on the 2021 budget. However, he acknowledged the bill needed to be before the joint c