The newly appointed Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear commitment to reposition Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Mrs Eyesan made her policy direction known during her first town hall meeting with management and staff of the Commission on Tuesday, 23 December 2025, where she outlined plans to transform the NUPRC into a business-enabling regulator capable of restoring investor confidence in the upstream sector.
She said her leadership would focus on re-igniting investments, improving regulatory efficiency and driving growth in both crude oil and natural gas production, stressing that regulation must support industry expansion rather than hinder it.
She said:“The goal is that we must enable the industry. We are regulators, and our responsibility is to support the industry through our interactions with stakeholders and partners.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the centre of the industry.”
The NUPRC chief, who brings over three decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, pledged to entrench digitisation, transparency and operational efficiency across the Commission’s processes.
She expressed confidence that, with the cooperation of staff and management, the NUPRC would emerge as the gold-standard upstream regulator in Africa, supported by enhanced technical capacity, continuous staff development and robust stakeholder engagement.
Mrs Eyesan also promised stronger collaboration with industry players, labour unions and professional bodies, noting that sustained dialogue would be critical as the sector enters its next phase of transformation.
On leadership style, the CCE assured staff of an open-door policy, frequent engagement and inclusive decision-making, while calling for collective support to deliver the Commission’s mandate under the PIA.
She urged employees to remain committed and professional, emphasising that the success of the upstream sector was directly tied to the effectiveness of the Commission’s regulatory role.