Newly appointed Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has formally assumed office.
Her assumption of duty and policy direction were announced at her first town hall with NUPRC management and staff on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, according to a statement by the Commission’s Head of Media and Strategic Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu.
According to the statement, Mrs. Eyesan’s assumption of office is in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
What she said
Speaking at the town hall meeting, the new Commission Chief Executive stressed that regulation under the PIA must support industry growth rather than hinder it.
The CCE said, “The goal is that we must enable the industry; we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.”
Eyesan added that her core objective is to ensure the Commission delivers tangible impact.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she noted.
She also announced clear production ambitions, including growing Nigeria’s crude oil output and increasing gas production to support energy security and economic growth.
Earlier this month, OPEC reported that Nigeria’s crude oil production climbed marginally to 1.436 million barrels per day (bpd) in November, up from 1.401 million bpd in October.
What you should know
Earlier this month, President Bola Tinubu announced the nomination of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the new chief executive officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
- The nomination follows the resignation of Gbenga Komolafe, who previously led the upstream regulator, and comes as the federal government moves to ensure leadership continuity in Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory institutions.
- Eyesan is a veteran energy executive with more than 30 years of professional experience spanning banking, public service and the oil and gas industry.
- She is a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin and began her career in the financial sector, working at People’s Bank of Nigeria and later Gulf Bank of Nigeria, before transitioning into the petroleum industry.
- She spent nearly 33 years at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its successor, NNPC Ltd., rising through the ranks to occupy some of the most senior positions within the organisation.
On leadership style, the CCE promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement.
Mrs. Eyesan also solicited for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
