Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has issued a warning to the public about fraudulent social media accounts falsely using the name and photo of its chief executive, Mr Gbenga Komolafe.
In a statement on Monday, the Head of Media and Strategic Communication of the commission, Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, clarified that Mr Komolafe does not operate any accounts on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.
The statement urged Nigerians to avoid interacting with any such pages to prevent falling victim to scams.
This alert comes as part of the agency’s effort to protect the public from impersonation scams, while assuring that actions are underway to track and prosecute the fraudsters involved.
“For the sake of clarity, the commission’s chief executive has no social media accounts. Members of the public are therefore advised against interacting with such pages to avoid being defrauded,” a part of the notice said.
The NUPRC advised members of the public to rely on its official social media handles and its website, http://nuprc.gov.ng, for authentic information on statistics and activities of the upstream regulator. “The public is enjoined to be wary of the antics of impersonators while efforts are being made to bring fraudsters to book,” the Commission stated.
Impersonating the NUPRC helmsman holds significant importance because Mr Komolafe heads the body responsible for regulating and overseeing all activities in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector to ensure full compliance with existing laws and standards.
He approves grants licenses, leases, and permits for exploration, development, and production of petroleum resources while monitoring oil and gas output to ensure accurate measurement and transparent reporting.
The commission also enforces environmental and safety standards in petroleum operations and collects royalties, rents, and other revenues on behalf of the Nigerian government.
In addition, the NUPRC promotes the efficient and sustainable development of Nigeria’s petroleum resources to maximize national benefit. It enforces local content policies to ensure Nigerian participation in the industry and manages data and information related to upstream petroleum operations. The commission also helps resolve disputes among industry stakeholders and provides technical and policy advice to the government on upstream petroleum matters, ensuring that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector operates efficiently, transparently, and in the public interest.