West African energy regulators are stepping up plans for a regional fuel pricing benchmark and ​trading hub, betting that a wave of new refining ‌capacity led by Nigeria's Dangote refinery can give Africa a greater role in fuel price discovery and trade, Nigeria's regulator said on Tuesday. The regulator said West Africa had ‌made ⁠progress towards establishing a regional refined-products benchmark market, citing closer collaboration with S&P Global Commodity Insights. Umar said efforts to align regional fuel pricing and regulation had gained ground over the ​past year, but ​warned that ⁠inadequate infrastructure, weak logistics and limited market transparency still stood in the way of a credible ​hub. The regulator said a regional trading hub ​would require ⁠investments in pipelines, storage, marine logistics and digital trading systems to improve fuel flows and market liquidity. Regulators urged West African countries ⁠to ​harmonise fuel standards, licensing and trade ​rules, warning that regulatory fragmentation was inflating the cost of regional energy trade.