The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced that the federal government has approved 37 new crude oil evacuation routes as part of ongoing efforts to curb oil theft and enhance production capacity.
Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, said securing oil infrastructure remains a top priority for the commission.
According to him, the newly designated routes, alongside improved collaboration with security agencies, are contributing to a reduction in oil theft and enhancing transparency across the upstream sector.
“Our domestic crude supply obligation is ensuring feedstock for local refineries, strengthening domestic supply chains, and boosting economic resilience,” Komolafe stated.
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He also highlighted the impact of the HostComply platform, which he said has improved transparency and delivered measurable benefits to oil-producing communities fostering peace and social license to operate.
Komolafe added that the commission’s digitisation efforts are transforming regulatory oversight by improving speed, efficiency, and investor clarity.
He noted that under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria’s energy sector has attracted over $16 billion in investment commitments within the past two years, thanks to bold reforms and a stable policy direction.
The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, he said, laid the foundation for these reforms, while the 2024 Executive Orders EO 40 on fiscal incentives, EO 41 on local content, and EO 42 on cost efficiency have accelerated investor confidence.
“These reforms have repositioned the sector to ensure greater energy security, sustainability, and economic resilience,” he said.
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On the global stage, Komolafe stressed the need for consistent upstream investment to meet demand, citing projections that oil and gas will remain responsible for over 50% of global energy needs until at least 2050.
“To meet that demand, the world will require over $640 billion in upstream investments annually through 2030 amounting to more than $4 trillion. Failure to meet this demand will threaten global stability. Nigeria and Africa cannot afford to ignore this,” he warned.
Nigeria Eyes 2.5 Million Barrels per Day through Dormant Field Revival
The NUPRC chief also spoke on the commission’s ongoing efforts to scale up production through the One Million Barrels Initiative, launched in 2024. The initiative targets increased output by reviving dormant fields, expediting regulatory approvals, and improving upstream efficiency.
“Our goal is to raise daily crude oil production from 1.46 million barrels per day (bpd) to 2.5 million bpd by 2026. We have already reached 1.7 million bpd, and the momentum is strong,” Komolafe revealed.
He concluded by reaffirming the commission’s commitment to integrating climate responsibility into its operations, in line with Nigeria’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, even as oil and gas continue to anchor the country’s economy.
