The newly appointed Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has formally assumed office, promising to implement robust reforms to boost activities in the upstream oil and gas sector in the country.
Eyesan, who assumed office on Tuesday, December 23, pledged to work in line with the mandate of the Commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement by the NUPRC spokesperson, Eniola Akinkuotu, the Commission’s Chief Executive, who spoke during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday, highlighted plans to make the Commission a business enabler, reignite investments in the upstream sector and ramp up oil and gas production output.
Eyesan, who noted that NUPRC, as a regulator, plays critical roles in the industry, revealed that her goal is to “make a difference” by creating an enabling environment for stakeholders to operate.
READ ALSO: NMDPRA, NUPRC CEOs Resign Over Dangote Allegations
“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,” the NUPRC CEO stated.
Eyesan, who has worked in the oil and gas industry for over three decades, promised to increase digitisation, openness, and efficiency in operations.
She called for support of staff and management to make NUPRC a top upstream regulator in Africa.
READ ALSO: NUPRC Lists 50 Oil Blocks, Slashes Signature Bonus to $7m
The NUPRC boss, who promised capacity development and better engagement with stakeholders, also assured that his leadership would adopt an open-door policy.
She emphasised the need for cohesion to achieve a greater height.
Pinnacle Daily had reported that the President nominated Eyesan as the new CCE of NUPRC following the resignation of Gbenga Komolafe last week. The Senate subsequently screened and confirmed the appointment on December 19, 2025.
Eyesan, a former staff member of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has over 33 years of experience in the oil and gas industry.
The Delta State-born, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), began her career at NNPC in the early 1990s. She rose through the ranks in commercial, planning, and investment management roles. She became Executive Vice President, Upstream, in September 2023 and served in that position until she retired from NNPC in November 2024.
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.
