President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s drive to overhaul Nigeria’s oil and gas governance advanced on Thursday as the Senate commenced the screening of nominees for the nation’s key petroleum regulatory bodies.
The nominees—Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Saidu Mohammed for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)—appeared before a joint session of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream, Downstream and Gas) at the National Assembly.
Both nominees pledged to pursue sweeping reforms aimed at curbing revenue leakages, strengthening regulatory discipline and attracting fresh investment into the sector. Their proposed agendas emphasised digitisation, strict contract enforcement, credible data management, enhanced investor confidence and accelerated gas development, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The nominations followed the resignation of the pioneer chief executives of the agencies—Gbenga Komolafe (NUPRC) and Farouk Ahmed (NMDPRA)—who were appointed in 2021 after the PIA came into effect.
Speaking during the screening, Eyesan said Nigeria was losing significant value due to manual regulatory processes and poor system integration in an industry increasingly driven by technology. She stressed that modern digital systems were essential for transparency, efficiency and accountability in the upstream sector.
“We are still largely manual while the world is moving at jet speed. Without digitisation and real-time data, you cannot truly understand what you are regulating, and you will continue to lose money,” she said.
She added that effective regulation depends on accurate data, asset integrity monitoring and transparent systems, noting that collaboration among regulators, operators and policymakers was critical to resolving sectoral bottlenecks.
“We must work with stakeholders, identify our pain points and address them collectively. That is how we move the needle forward,” she said.
Eyesan assured lawmakers that she would deploy the PIA as a key regulatory tool to reposition the upstream sector, attract investment and keep Nigeria competitive amid the global energy transition, describing the law as a “valuable document” if properly implemented.
An Economics graduate of the University of Benin, Eyesan spent nearly 33 years at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its subsidiaries, retiring as Executive Vice President, Upstream. She highlighted her role in resolving long-standing disputes with international partners, restoring investor confidence during divestment threats and facilitating multi-billion-dollar deep offshore investments.
She also recalled signing Nigeria’s first non-associated gas development contract and contributing to an increase in crude oil production from about 1.3 million barrels per day to 1.8 million barrels per day during her tenure.
“Having worked as an operator and participated in resource development, I believe I have the competence to regulate the industry and ensure we maximise the enormous opportunities before us,” she told the committee.
On his part, Mohammed underscored the need to restore discipline across the gas and petroleum supply chain through strict enforcement of contracts and quality standards.
“Gas is not a favour; it is a commodity. It must be sold on the basis of enforceable contracts from the producer to the transporter and the end-user,” he said, attributing persistent gas shortages—especially in the power sector—to weak contractual frameworks.
He noted that consistent gas supply to some power plants was achievable only where contracts were clear and obligations enforced, adding that stronger regulatory oversight and enforcement of the Gas Network Code would help stabilise the system and rebuild investor confidence.
Mohammed also cautioned against neglecting domestic refining and processing capacity, warning that the sector could suffer the same fate as Nigeria’s collapsed textile industry if local needs were sacrificed for exports.
He pledged to revive pipeline transportation of petroleum products, attract billions of dollars in gas processing investments and strengthen quality assurance through in-house laboratory facilities.
“You cannot enforce quality if you do not have the capacity to test and certify products yourself,” he said.
Born in Gombe in 1957, Mohammed is a chemical engineering graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with decades of experience across the oil and gas value chain. He has served as Managing Director of the Nigerian Gas Company and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, as well as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, at NNPC.
He also played key roles in major projects, including the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion and the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Senator Sumaila Kawu, described the screening as timely, noting that boosting energy production and efficiency was critical to Nigeria’s economic recovery. He added that further engagements with the nominees would continue into January to deepen legislative–regulatory collaboration.
The Senate is expected to consider the committee’s report after the screening, paving the way for confirmation of the nominees and marking a new phase in the regulation of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry under the Tinubu administration.
