The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has faced criticism over its plan to conduct a two-day training programme for companies awarded Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs).
The commission announced the programme in a post on X, explaining that it was designed to address the problem of oil blocks remaining undeveloped because some licence holders lack the technical expertise or commercial capacity to move projects forward.
However, the announcement has sparked debate over the competence of companies selected to participate in Nigeria’s oil and gas licensing rounds.
Some Nigerians questioned why companies awarded licences to explore for oil and gas would require basic training after successfully securing the rights to develop the assets.
An X user, Tyro, argued that deepwater oil exploration requires investments of at least $100 million, raising concerns about whether licence holders possess the financial and technical capacity to undertake such projects.
The user also questioned the criteria used to select successful bidders, suggesting that the proposed training raised doubts about the preparedness of some awardees.
Another commenter, Peter, criticised the initiative, alleging that government training programmes could become routine expenditures within public institutions rather than effective solutions to industry challenges.
Similarly, an X user identified as 1st Name Basis described the plan as an indication of weak accountability, questioning the qualifications of companies that secured the licences.
The criticism comes after 31 companies emerged as winners in the NUPRC’s 2025 oil and gas licensing round, which concluded in July 2026 amid controversy.
The commission has since opened another licensing round for 2026, offering 40 oil and gas blocks to prospective investors.
The latest controversy has renewed questions about the standards applied during the licensing process, particularly the assessment of bidders’ technical expertise, financial strength and ability to develop awarded assets.
NUPRC’s proposed training is intended to reduce the number of inactive oil blocks by helping licence holders overcome technical and commercial challenges. However, the announcement has prompted calls for greater scrutiny of the selection process to ensure that successful bidders have the capacity to develop Nigeria’s petroleum resources.
