The newly appointed Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan has formally assumed office, pledging to reposition Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector, boost investment and increase oil and gas production in line with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
Mrs Eyesan made this known during her first town hall meeting with the management and staff of the Commission, according to a statement signed by the head of media and dtrategic communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, on Wednesday.
She assumed office on Tuesday, December 23, following a handover ceremony from the immediate past commission chief executive, Gbenga Komolafe.
Her appointment followed President Bola Tinubu’s nomination, which was approved by the National Assembly after the sudden resignation of the former Commission Chief Executive.
At the town hall meeting, Eyesan said regulation under the Petroleum Industry Act must support industry growth rather than hinder it, stressing the need for the Commission to act as a business enabler.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry through our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody,” she said.
She added, “My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry.”
Eyesan outlined plans to reignite investment in the upstream sector, grow Nigeria’s crude oil output and significantly increase gas production in line with the Federal Government’s drive to monetise gas as a transition fuel and strengthen energy security.
She also promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and operational efficiency at the Commission, describing them as critical to restoring investor confidence and improving regulatory outcomes.
The new Commission Chief Executive assured staff of an open door policy and regular engagement, while calling for cooperation and shared commitment.
“If we work together, we can unleash opportunities. I don’t see impediments, only opportunities,” she said.
She further pledged to prioritise capacity development, deepen technical competence within the Commission and sustain engagement with industry stakeholders, labour unions and professional bodies.
The NUPRC was established under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 to regulate Nigeria’s upstream petroleum operations, a role seen as central to addressing production challenges and declining investment.
Earlier this month, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries reported that Nigeria’s crude oil production rose marginally to 1.436 million barrels per day in November, up from 1.401 million barrels per day in October.
Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan is a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin and has more than three decades of experience in banking, public service and the oil and gas industry.
She spent nearly 33 years with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its successor, NNPC Ltd, retiring as Executive Vice President, Upstream in 2024.
She previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy from 2019 to 2023.
