Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Abuja — The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, has unveiled a sweeping agenda for deepening indigenous capacity and strengthening investor confidence as part of a wider push for transformation and sustainability in Nigeria’s Upstream Petroleum sector.
The Commission Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, represented by the Executive Commissioner for Health, Safety, Environment and Community, Capt. John Tonlagha, rolled out the Commission’s strategic roadmap at the 2025 Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair, NOGOF, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
With the theme “Driving Investment and Production Growth: Shaping a Sustainable Future for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry Through Indigenous Capacity Development,” the NUPRC boss emphasized the need to reposition Nigeria’s oil and gas industry through robust upstream investments, regulatory transparency, and infrastructure development to attract both local and foreign investors.
According to him, investors must have confidence in the legal and fiscal frameworks to ensure sustainable production and growth.
He outlined the NUPRC’s mission, centered on sustainable value creation and shared prosperity. Developing local talent and businesses, as a strategic necessity and moral obligation.
The CCE’s representative further stressed that while pursuing investment and growth, industry operators must not lose sight of their responsibility to the environment. He cited the Commission’s Upstream Decarbonization and Sustainability Blueprint, launched recently, as a critical roadmap for achieving low carbon operations and Nigeria’s net zero aspirations.
He also highlighted the establishment of the Host Community Development Trust, HCDT, under the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, 2021, alongside its supporting regulatory framework, as vital instruments for fostering inclusive development. These initiatives, he noted, are designed to ensure that host communities benefit through strategic investments in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
