The Federal Government is committed to shoring up the nation’s oil production quota and boosting investments in the upstream segment of the oil and gas industry, the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NURC) Chief Executive Officer, Gbenga Komolafe has said.
In a podcast address to staff of the commission on Thursday in Abuja, Komolafe urged them to work together with the board and executive management to spur economic growth in the sector.
The new commission which replaced the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) is tasked with the responsibility of regulating the technical and commercial activities of the upstream sector of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
Komolafe called for joint effort to build a strong organisation with capacity to positively change the narrative in the upstream sector of the economy.
He said NURC’s establishment would translate to landmark transformation.
Explaining further, Komolafe said:“Oil and gas sector is at a critical and significant moment in the life of the industry whereby energy transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy is competing with the need to raise the bar of crude oil and gas production from the current level of 1.4 mbbls/d to 2.4 mbbls/d.
“We are not unmindful that the expectations are high, but we are quite determined to surmount the tasks ahead and hit the ground running,” he said.
Komolafe noted that the executive management team planned to get the buy-in of all the staff members in achieving the expected results.
He said that his leadership approach would be anchored on inclusive management.
According to him, they are determined to deliver a 21st century upstream petroleum regulator anchored on the principles of effective and efficient services, transparency, professionalism and cost consciousness.
He applauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly for the passage and assent to the PIA.
“Our focus is to build a completely brand-new organisation with a new vision, mission, culture and ethos in line with international best practices.
“And this will entail our handshake across the border and frontier of Nigeria with similar international regulatory agencies,” he said.
He reassured staff and management of the agency of the security of their jobs, adding that he would do all in his capacity to address issues of workers’ welfare and give priority to good industrial relations.
“Human capital capacity development will be stringently pursued to ensure high standard of professionalism at all times.
“In our drive to ensure best practices for a 21st century regulator, we shall equally focus on digitalisation of our activities at all levels.”
