Nigeria’s Oil Reforms Must Move From Paper To Action

Nigeria’s petroleum sector needs to move beyond “rules on paper” and translate reform commitments into concrete action, the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has said.
Speaking at the 26th Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum in Abuja, Eyesan emphasised that policies and regulations, no matter how well‑drafted, would yield little value without proper execution and stakeholder ownership.
“As global energy dynamics continue to evolve, reforms in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector must extend beyond rules on paper,” she said.
She linked this to the broader post–Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) agenda, under which NUPRC has introduced 19 regulations—with five more in the pipeline—to create clarity, standardise data, and shorten approval timelines. Despite this progress, bottlenecks, delays in project execution, and weak follow‑through on implementation remain key challenges.

Eyesan stressed that reforms must unlock real investment, accelerate digital oilfield adoption, improve recovery factors, and strengthen energy security. She cited recent projects such as Bonga North, Ubeta, and HI, which have attracted over 10 billion dollars in upstream investment, as evidence that when policy certainty is matched with disciplined execution, capital flows and projects move forward.
However, she warned that returning investor confidence should not be mistaken for completion of reform. “Final note: reforms must go beyond rules on paper,” she said, calling on operators, government agencies, host communities, and civil society to participate in consultations, adopt digital tools, prioritise sustainability, and champion transparency across the value chain.

Eyesan also highlighted the need for better data integrity, performance‑based work programs, and strict adherence to safety and environmental standards. Without these, she argued, Nigeria risks squandering its vast hydrocarbon endowment—estimated at more than 37 billion barrels of crude oil and 200 trillion cubic feet of gas.
The NUPRC chief reiterated the government’s production targets of 2 million barrels of oil per day and 10 billion cubic feet of gas by 2027, scaling up to 3 million barrels and 12 billion cubic feet by 2030.
Achieving these targets, she said, demands not just new laws, but a culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration that turns policy into performance.