Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, has reaffirmed its commitment to blocking corruption in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector, vowing to deliver what it described as an untainted and fully transparent 2025 Licensing Round.
The Commission Chief Executive, Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, made the pledge during an event held at the NUPRC headquarters to commemorate this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day.
Komolafe said the Commission has deliberately deployed technology and reduced human interference as a core strategy to curb corrupt practices, citing the 2024 Licensing Round as a clear example.
“One of the major ways we have tackled corruption is by minimising human discretion and embracing technology,” Komolafe said.
“The 2024 Licensing Round demonstrated that when processes are transparent and technology-driven, integrity is strengthened across the value chain.”
He noted that the credibility of the 2024 exercise was validated by commendations from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, adding that the Commission intends to deepen those reforms in the 2025 round.
“We are committed to ensuring that the 2025 Licensing Round is conducted with the highest standards of transparency and accountability,” the NUPRC chief executive stated.
Also speaking at the event, the guest speaker, retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, Oludotun Adebola Adefope-Okojie, praised the Commission’s handling of the last licensing round, describing it as a positive signal for governance in the extractive sector.
“The transparency displayed by the NUPRC during the 2024 Licensing Round is commendable and reflects a conscious effort to do things differently,” she said.
However, Justice Adefope-Okojie urged the Commission to take a deliberate step further by encouraging youth participation in the upcoming 2025 licensing exercise.
“Young Nigerians have shown exceptional capacity, particularly in the fintech space,” she said.
“The Commission should deliberately create room for youths to participate meaningfully in the licensing process and the broader upstream value chain.”
