Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan has officially assumed duty as the Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), pledging sweeping reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas industry.
Eyesan’s appointment followed her nomination by President Bola
Tinubu and subsequent confirmation by the Senate earlier in December, following the resignation of the immediate past CCE.
Speaking after taking office, Eyesan said her leadership would reposition NUPRC as a proactive business enabler rather than merely a regulator. She pledged to rebuild investor confidence, fast-track digitisation, improve transparency and operational efficiency, and establish the Commission as Africa’s gold-standard upstream regulator.
In a statement issued by Eniola Akinkuotu, Head of Media and Strategic Communications at NUPRC, the new CCE expressed a strong commitment to increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production while significantly boosting gas output to enhance energy security and drive economic growth.
Eyesan also outlined plans to deepen stakeholder engagement across the industry, including collaboration with operators, labour unions, professional bodies and the general public.
She said her leadership style would be anchored on openness, frequent engagement with staff, and sustained capacity-building initiatives to strengthen technical competence within the Commission.
“We must enable the industry; we are regulators, but our role is to enable,” she said. “From our interactions with stakeholders and everyone involved, the goal is to unlock opportunities.
“If we work together, we can unleash opportunities. I don’t see impediments—only opportunities.”
Her appointment comes at a critical time for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, as the country seeks to stabilise production, attract fresh investments and maximise the benefits of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
