The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has introduced a broad reform plan designed to raise crude oil production, rebuild investor trust, and make Nigeria’s upstream sector more competitive globally.
The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, outlined the strategy in an interview featured in The Upstream Gaze, a publication of the regulator. She said the agency is moving towards a technology-led regulatory system that will simplify approvals, strengthen compliance, and improve transparency across licensing and monitoring processes.
According to her, the reforms are central to the Federal Government’s ambition to push production to three million barrels per day in the medium term under the administration of Bola Tinubu.
Eyesan explained that the commission is building a fully digital framework to manage regulatory activities, noting that modern oversight must be driven by data, speed, and openness. A key element of the overhaul is the introduction of an end-to-end online licensing platform where applications, reviews, and permit issuance will be handled digitally with clear timelines and real-time tracking for investors.
She said this system is expected to eliminate long-standing bottlenecks and provide operators with greater certainty when dealing with the regulator.
The NUPRC is also upgrading its national data infrastructure to enable real-time monitoring of production activities through standardised metering and automated reporting. This, she said, will strengthen revenue assurance, improve asset valuation, and raise confidence among investors and stakeholders.
In addition, the commission plans to deploy analytics-based compliance tools that can quickly detect irregularities and support faster, more consistent regulatory decisions. Licensing rounds will also be conducted through secure digital data rooms and system-driven bid processes to reduce discretion and enhance accountability.
Eyesan noted that the combined impact of these measures would be a more predictable operating environment for oil and gas companies, shorter project timelines, and improved governance across the sector.
She added that while increasing output remains important, the regulator is equally focused on improving the structural health and long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s upstream industry through credible data, efficient processes, and transparent oversight.
