The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) have joined forces to enforce radiological safety in the oil and gas sector while lowering overall operational expenses.
This strategic partnership was solidified during a recent meeting at the NUPRC headquarters between the Commission Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan and NNRA Director-General/CEO, Dr. Yau Idris.
Currently, the two agencies manage distinct portfolios within the industry. The Regulates the technical, commercial, and operational aspects of upstream oil and gas exploration and production, while NNRA oversees the possession, use, transport, and disposal of radioactive sources, while promoting safe radiation technologies across the economy.
Speaking at the meeting, Mrs. Eyesan emphasized that eliminating regulatory overlap and the multiplicity of rules is critical to improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
“The only way we can safeguard investments is to reduce our cost of operations,” Eyesan stated. “When you have a multiplicity of laws, the likelihood is that you will have higher costs because each law normally comes with its own fees and charges.”
To drive this initiative forward, the NUPRC boss said she has appointed a team of senior officials to collaborate closely with the NNRA to bridge existing regulatory gaps.
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In response, Dr. Idris noted that the upstream petroleum sector is one of Nigeria’s largest users of radioactive sources and radiation-emitting equipment—particularly for well logging, industrial radiography, and nucleonic gauging. As such, the NNRA depends on NUPRC’s cooperation to fulfill its mandate.
“Our goal is a single-window approach, where both agencies share information instead of requiring operators to submit the same data twice,” Idris explained.
He further noted that oil and gas extraction often brings Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to the surface. Consequently, the NNRA is seeking NUPRC’s assistance to ensure operators include radiological impact assessments within their broader Environmental Impact Assessments and that NORM management protocols are integrated into NUPRC’s environmental guidelines for the upstream sector.
The two institutions also plan to collaborate on training and knowledge sharing in radiation protection and safe operations.
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