The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting ethical governance as the foundation for sustainable growth in Nigeria’s and Africa’s hydrocarbon industry.

NUPRC chief executive Gbenga Komolafe reaffirmed the commitment on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2025 International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science and Technology organised by the Petroleum Training Institute.

Mr Komolafe, in a keynote address, said that the prosperity of Africa’s energy sector depended on both the resource endowment and the quality of governance driving its utilisation.

He said that ethical governance had enabled Nigeria to record progress in reducing gas flaring through its flare gas commercialisation initiative. According to him, the initiative is aimed at achieving total flare-out by 2030.

Mr Komolafe said the initiative had transformed the image of the Niger Delta from one characterised by wasteful flaring to one of renewed opportunity and economic empowerment. He also cited the Host Community Development Trusts, established under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, as an example of governance reforms delivering tangible benefits to oil-producing communities.

“In villages that once knew only resentment, schools are now under construction, clinics are opening, and roads are being built. These are not acts of charity, but legal entitlements guaranteed by governance,” he said.

The NUPRC boss said that under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria had embarked on a new path anchored on transparency, accountability, and fairness in the oil and gas sector, through PIA.

He said key initiatives undertaken by the commission to promote transparency and accountability included developing 25 new upstream regulations in consultation with the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and industry stakeholders.

He listed others, including the launch of the Public Register of Petroleum Concessions and the Beneficial Ownership database, as well as the transparent conduct of the 2022 and 2024 licensing rounds through open digital platforms.

The empowerment of indigenous oil firms, now contributing over 30 per cent of Nigeria’s total oil output, and the implementation of the Metering and Measurement Audit Initiative ensure that every barrel produced is accurately recorded.

According to Mr Komolafe, these reforms have strengthened investors’ confidence and demonstrated that “what wins investment is not geology but governance”.

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund also reaffirmed its commitment to building human and institutional capacity to drive Africa’s hydrocarbon transformation, anchored on innovation, environmental stewardship, and sound governance.

The executive secretary of PTDF, Ahmed Aminu, stated that Africa must reposition itself not only as a supplier of hydrocarbons but also as a hub for innovation, supported by strong policies and skilled manpower.

Mr Aminu said that PTDF was advancing Nigeria’s energy-transition goals through scholarships, research funding, and partnerships that strengthen technical competence and knowledge transfer. He said that PTDF’s partnership with PTI reflected a shared vision to nurture a new generation of professionals and innovators who will anchor Africa’s energy transformation.

(NAN)