Nigeria’s upstream oil regulator has launched an ambitious transformation agenda aimed at accelerating production and streamlining approvals, with new commission chief executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan pledging immediate action on stalled projects.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission chief told industry stakeholders on Wednesday that a 90-day program to fast-track approvals for near-ready field development plans, well interventions, and rig mobilization has already begun, signaling a departure from the bureaucratic delays that have plagued Africa’s largest oil producer.
Speaking at a Lagos meeting attended by major oil producers and independent operators, Eyesan outlined three pillars underpinning her vision: production optimization and revenue expansion; regulatory predictability and speed; and safe, governed, and sustainable operations.
The plan aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s targets of 2 million barrels of oil per day by 2027 and 3 million by 2030, ambitious goals for a nation whose output has languished below potential for years.
“Going forward, the Commission will be measured on the following key success metrics, faster, predictable regulatory approvals, higher, more secure and sustainable production,” Eyesan said, according to a statement from the commission’s media office.
The emphasis on speed represents a critical shift for Nigeria’s upstream sector, where regulatory bottlenecks have contributed to production shortfalls and deterred investment.
Eyesan promised to publish Service Level Agreements for all major approvals and establish a digital workflow for permitting, reporting, and data submissions, moves welcomed by an industry long frustrated by opacity and unpredictability.
The commission will also convene monthly leadership forums with all operators, including state-owned NNPC, the Oil Producers Trade Section, and independent producers.
These sessions will focus on approval timelines, production restoration, infrastructure integrity, and gas development, Eyesan said, enabling regulators to identify systemic bottlenecks.
For mature opportunities seeking fast-track consideration, operators face a deadline: submit your request latest end of Q1, 2026, Eyesan stated. The timeframe underscores the urgency driving the new administration’s approach.
The commission chief pointed to early success in her production recovery efforts, noting she had recently turned on the light in a long shut-in asset.
While she provided no specifics, the comment suggests progress on reviving dormant fields, a key component of her strategy to arrest production decline without increasing operator burdens or transaction costs.
Eyesan also pledged 100 percent compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act within 12 months, monitored by a dedicated team reporting directly to her office.
The 2021 legislation overhauled Nigeria’s oil sector governance but implementation has been uneven.
On hydrocarbon accounting, she stressed the need to track every barrel produced and promptly address discrepancies or losses, a nod to concerns about measurement accuracy that have long complicated revenue collection in Africa’s top oil exporter.
The commission will work with industry to identify capacity gaps and develop tiered interventions in critical areas affecting regulatory efficiency, while harmonizing internal processes to eliminate conflicting actions, Eyesan said.
An internal transformation program through a project management office is underway, with details forthcoming.
Eyesan also highlighted host community relations, encouraging operators to engage with the commission as it plans meetings with community leaders to reaffirm commitment to Host Community Development Trust implementation, a sensitive issue following years of unrest in oil-producing regions.
The commission promised quarterly progress reports on its performance, introducing a level of accountability rarely seen in Nigerian regulatory bodies.
Whether Eyesan’s 90-day sprint delivers tangible results will determine if her tenure marks a genuine turning point or another false start for Nigeria’s struggling upstream sector.
