Engr. Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has presented her comprehensive transformation agenda for Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.
The agenda, unveiled at a stakeholder engagement in Lagos attended by representatives of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), NNPC, emerging players and other industry leaders, is anchored on three pillars: production optimization and revenue expansion; regulatory predictability and speed; and safe, governed and sustainable operations.
Mrs. Eyesan stated that the vision fully supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the national production targets of 2 million barrels of oil per day by 2027 and 3 million barrels per day by 2030.
To drive production growth and revenue, the Commission under her leadership will prioritise recovery of economically viable shut-in volumes, arrest production decline, minimise losses and accelerate time-to-first-oil without imposing additional regulatory or transaction costs. She revealed that this effort has already started with the recent reactivation of a long-shut-in asset.
On regulatory efficiency, she said the NUPRC will publish Service Level Agreements for all major approvals, launch digital workflows for permitting and reporting, harmonise internal processes and eliminate delays. A 90-day fast-track programme is already underway for near-ready Field Development Plans, well interventions, rig mobilisation and other quick-win opportunities.
Sh said that the third pillar will focus on stronger governance, process safety, improved host community outcomes, accurate hydrocarbon accounting and progressive decarbonisation. The Commission has set a target of 100 per cent compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act within 12 months, to be overseen by a dedicated team in the CCE’s office.
Mrs. Eyesan also announced the creation of a monthly CCE–Operators Leadership Forum that will bring together NNPC, OPTS, IPPG and emerging players to tackle approval timelines, production restoration, infrastructure integrity and gas monetisation, with the aim of removing systemic bottlenecks.
She added that the operators with matured opportunities were invited to submit projects by the end of the first quarter of 2026 to take advantage of a streamlined, mutually agreed approval framework.
She said the success under her leadership will be judged by faster and more predictable approvals, higher and more sustainable production, disciplined acreage management, world-class health, safety and environmental performance, and greater transparency and data integrity. Quarterly progress reports will be published to keep stakeholders informed.
