By Naomi Sharang
Abuja, Dec. 18, 2025 (NAN) — Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, nominee for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Chief Executive, has called for urgent stakeholder collaboration to revitalize Nigeria’s oil and gas sector amid a fast-evolving global energy transition.
Eyesan made the remarks on Thursday during her screening before the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources, chaired by Sen. Kawu Sumaila. She warned that fragmentation and outdated processes were costing Nigeria revenue, value, and global relevance.
“We must sit with our stakeholders and come up with enabling laws, regulations, and policies to guide the industry,” Eyesan told the senators. She emphasized that collaboration must extend beyond rhetoric.
“One of the core pillars for me is effective stakeholder collaboration. Working with critical stakeholders like the Senate, we can channel the industry in the right direction,” she said.
The nominee highlighted digital reform as an urgent priority, stressing: “Without real numbers, you don’t know what you’re dealing with. If you don’t have a digitised system in today’s operations, you are losing money and wasting money.”
Eyesan lamented missed opportunities, adding: “We are leaving value on the table today while the world is transiting at jet speed.” She questioned the paradox of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas reserves and persistent energy poverty.
“We sit on over 200 trillion cubic feet of gas. It is unthinkable. How can we be impoverished, struggling with electricity, yet so richly endowed?” she asked.
She also noted that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) remains central to sectoral reform: “The PIA is a valuable document. We must leverage it to achieve our objectives.”
Earlier, Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, nominee for Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Chief Executive, also appeared before the committee for screening.
The nominations follow the resignation of former executives of both agencies, prompting President Bola Tinubu to seek expedited Senate confirmation.
Explaining the urgency, Sen. Sumaila said: “The screening was conducted immediately due to the necessity and emergency nature of these appointments.” He added that the committee’s report would be presented to the Senate on Friday.
Joshua Chinonye ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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