By Peace Udugba -The Daily Torch Media
Anti-graft commission seeks stronger collaboration with upstream regulator on integrity, procurement and regulatory compliance
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have pledged to strengthen collaboration aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, integrity and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.
The Chairman of the ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, made the commitment on Friday at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja when he received the NUPRC Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and members of her management team on a courtesy visit.
Aliyu stressed the strategic importance of the NUPRC to Nigeria’s economy, noting that challenges affecting the effectiveness of the upstream petroleum regulator could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s economic wellbeing.
He therefore called for closer cooperation between the two institutions to strengthen integrity and transparency across the petroleum sector.
“Integrity in your sector is very important. We need investors, and if we are not transparent, it will be difficult for NUPRC to operate optimally,” Aliyu said.
He added that corruption tends to thrive where institutional safeguards and systems are weak, stressing the need to continuously strengthen mechanisms that promote accountability.
The ICPC chairman also commended the NUPRC for its performance in the Commission’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS), describing the achievement as evidence of the regulator’s commitment to ethical standards and institutional integrity.
Aliyu identified information sharing and mutual trust as critical to effective anti-corruption enforcement.
He noted that the ICPC could benefit from the NUPRC’s technical expertise in investigations involving the petroleum sector, while also advocating closer collaboration in procurement processes and efforts to prevent wastage and leakages.
NUPRC Highlights Investment, Regulatory Challenges
Earlier, the NUPRC Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, described the upstream petroleum sector as a major source of revenue for Nigeria, stressing that the capital-intensive nature of the industry requires effective regulation, strong governance and a conducive environment for investment.
Eyesan described the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) as a game changer designed to restructure the regulatory environment and improve investor confidence, particularly against the backdrop of declining investments in the sector over the years.
She said the NUPRC was also working to unlock Nigeria’s gas resources while strengthening governance across upstream operations.
The NUPRC chief executive disclosed that the Commission was reviewing the qualification criteria for its regular bidding exercises following challenges involving some indigenous operators who lacked the financial and technical capacity to develop assets awarded to them.
She also cited disputes that had stalled the development of some oil and gas assets as another issue requiring attention.
According to her, the NUPRC will hold an onboarding programme for successful awardees in October and intends to involve the ICPC in the exercise.
The collaboration, she said, would help sensitise operators on good governance, integrity and regulatory compliance.
Eyesan expressed appreciation to the ICPC for its support and assured the Commission that the NUPRC would continue to collaborate and share relevant concerns with it to improve the regulator’s operations.
