Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has declared that Nigeria and the wider African continent cannot fully unlock their hydrocarbon wealth without placing women at the centre of leadership and decision-making.
Speaking at the 3rd edition of the Diversity Sectoral Working Group Annual Women in Oil and Gas Conference, Eyesan delivered a strong call for structural inclusion across the energy value chain.
“The future of Nigeria’s energy sector will not be fully realised unless women rise deliberately, visibly, and strategically to lead across the entire energy value chain,” she stated.
Eyesan emphasised that gender diversity is not merely a social objective but an economic imperative for a capital-intensive, technically complex industry such as oil and gas.
She noted that as Nigeria pushes to maximise upstream production, attract fresh investment, and optimise regulatory frameworks, diverse leadership will be critical to innovation and resilience.
The upstream sector, traditionally male-dominated, is under increasing pressure to broaden its talent pool as global capital flows become more sensitive to environmental, social and governance metrics.
According to Eyesan, Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s hydrocarbon landscape places a responsibility on the country to set inclusion benchmarks for the continent.
She urged women professionals to pursue leadership roles across exploration, production, regulation, finance, and energy transition initiatives.
While acknowledging progress made in recent years, she stressed that sustained, deliberate efforts are required to move from participation to influence.
Conference participants highlighted the growing number of female executives, engineers, and regulators within Nigeria’s petroleum sector but agreed that boardroom and strategic leadership positions remain limited.
As Nigeria recalibrates its upstream strategy amid global energy transition dynamics, the NUPRC chief’s message was clear, leadership diversity will shape how effectively the country converts resource potential into sustainable economic value.
