The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been hailed for driving growth, transparency, and investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector — despite a controversial survey suggesting otherwise.

A recent Investor Perception Survey by Arbiterz Conferences praised industry reforms but oddly cited “weak regulatory capacity,” a claim industry insiders have swiftly dismissed.

Reacting to the survey, stakeholders said the NUPRC had “implemented every aspect of the law it’s supposed to implement” and questioned whether critics wanted the regulator to “act outside the law” to appear more effective.”

All the regulations are publicly available and were made after public hearings and stakeholder engagements,” a top industry voice told THISDAY.

“If anything is wrong, they should question the law, not the regulator.”Since taking charge in 2021, NUPRC Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, has overseen massive investment inflows, major project FIDs like Shell’s $5 billion Bonga North, and a production boost to 1.7 million bpd.

In recognition of these strides, NUPRC has bagged multiple nominations, including Africa’s Best Performing Government Agency at the 2025 Africa Development Awards in Manchester and the ‘Regulator of the Year’ nod at the upcoming Africa Energies Summit in London.

A nomination letter praised the Commission’s “exceptional efficiency, innovation, and impact,” describing Komolafe’s leadership as “a legacy of excellence and impact.”

With consistent regulatory action — from transparent licensing rounds to managing billion-dollar divestments — the NUPRC is rewriting Nigeria’s oil and gas narrative, one reform at a time.