The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has commended the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for its transparency in the management and accessibility of oil and gas data, while urging a deeper, more systematic collaboration between the two agencies.
The Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran, made the remarks on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, during a working visit to the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja.
Adeniran, who was accompanied by top management officials of the NBS, stressed that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remains a critical pillar of the national economy and therefore cannot be sidelined in statistical collation.
He described the NBS as the nation’s central data custodian and the apex agency responsible for developing, managing, and disseminating official statistics to guide government policies and national development—a mandate carried out in partnership with all 774 local governments, 37 sub-nationals including the FCT, academia, multilateral organizations, NGOs, and other federal agencies.
He noted that because the NUPRC is the statutory custodian of all upstream oil and gas data, the NBS cannot effectively fulfill its mandate without the Commission’s technical and operational support.
“If we don’t get data on our oil and gas sector, we cannot release data on GDP,” Adeniran stated. “I want to commend the Commission, because for years there are basic data that we have been getting from them. We came to appreciate you for what you are doing—without this data, the government will not have the compass to drive the economy.”
The NBS chief announced the creation of a dedicated team from the Bureau to engage more closely and regularly with the NUPRC, focusing on data streams such as crude production, gas reserves, oil spill incidents, and exploration and production company activities.
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“Presently, we are implementing the Integrated System of Administrative Statistics, where we have onboarded 15 MDAs to enable seamless data exchange through digital platforms,” Adeniran explained. “We are also compiling Petroleum National Accounting under the Natural Capital Accounting system. This requires a substantial amount of data.”
In her response, the Commission Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, acknowledged that modern governance and economic planning are virtually impossible without reliable data. She reiterated that the NUPRC already publishes regular data in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, all available on the Commission’s website, www.nuprc.gov.ng.
“As government agencies, we must morph into the point where we automate our systems and then integrate,” Eyesan said, expressing the Commission’s readiness to deepen collaboration with the NBS for improved national statistics and economic planning.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in Mass Communication. He can be reached via @VICTOREZEJA on X