Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — President Bola Tinubu has lauded the achievements of Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, crediting him with spearheading reforms that have boosted Nigeria’s crude oil production, expanded gas output, and reduced losses in the sector.
In a statement congratulating Komolafe on his 62nd birthday, President Tinubu described the NUPRC boss as an “accomplished engineer and lawyer whose 35 years in the oil sector have been characterised by innovation and excellence.”
The President noted that under Komolafe’s leadership, the NUPRC has been instrumental in stabilising Nigeria’s upstream sector.
“Engr. Komolafe has played a pivotal role in ramping up oil production to meet OPEC’s quota, increasing revenue, reducing oil losses to a 16-year low and gas flaring to 7.16 percent, while scaling up average daily gas production to 7.59 billion standard cubic feet,” Tinubu said.
Komolafe has overseen the rollout of 24 transformative regulations, with 19 already gazetted, including the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Measurement Regulations and the Advanced Cargo Declaration Regulation, both designed to plug leakages and strengthen accountability.
“These reforms are not cosmetic. They are plugging long-standing gaps in upstream monitoring and creating an enabling environment for investment,” President Tinubu remarked, stressing that the global extractive watchdog NEITI has validated NUPRC’s new competitive licensing processes as transparent and credible.
Born in Igbara Oke, Ifedore Local Government of Ondo State, Komolafe’s career trajectory has spanned leadership positions in the Pipelines and Petroleum Marketing Company, PPMC, and the Crude Oil Marketing Division of the defunct NNPC, before becoming pioneer Chief Executive of the NUPRC in 2021.
Beyond national reforms, Komolafe currently serves as interim Chairman of the African Petroleum Regulators Forum, AFRIPERF, where he is coordinating regional efforts to harmonise oil and gas regulations across the continent.
As he turns 62, Tinubu expressed optimism that the NUPRC Chief will continue to deliver transformative change in Nigeria’s energy sector.
“I look forward to more accomplishments in the oil and gas industry under his stewardship. May God grant him more strength, wisdom, and fulfilment as he continues his dedicated service to our nation,” the President added.
