The chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has identified the recovery of shut-in oil and gas volumes as a central strategy for optimising Nigeria’s upstream production and stabilising revenue.
She said the oil and gas sector remains critical to Nigeria’s economic stability, stressing that effective regulation must be anchored on a strong, efficiently run upstream industry.
According to Mrs Eyesan, the commission’s agenda for the sector under her leadership, is built on three core pillars, with production and revenue optimisation taking priority.
“Our agenda rests on optimising production and revenue by recovering shut-in volumes,” she said. Shut-in volumes refer to the amount of oil or gas that is currently capable of being produced but is not being extracted because the wells have been deliberately closed off.
The NUPRC head explained that unlocking idle production requires closer collaboration between regulators and operators, supported by transparent and accountable industry practices.
Mrs Eyesan added that regulatory efficiency is another key enabler of production optimisation, noting that speed and predictability in approvals are essential to sustaining upstream operations.
“We are focused on ensuring regulatory speed and predictability through clear rules and digital processes,” she said.
The NUPRC chief further said that optimising output must go hand-in-hand with safe and sustainable operations, including effective governance of assets and improved host community outcomes.
“Strengthening safe, governed and sustainable operations, including host community outcomes and decarbonisation, is part of our broader objective,” Mrs Eyesan said.
She noted that a stable regulatory environment, combined with production recovery efforts, would support industry confidence and improve Nigeria’s ability to maximise value from its hydrocarbon resources.