CEGA Hails New Crude Routes, Says NUPRC Winning War on Oil Theft

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has received praise from the Centre for Energy Governance and Accountability (CEGA) for obtaining federal government approval of 37 new crude oil evacuation routes. This is part of a larger plan to reduce oil theft, increase transparency, and boost Nigeria’s oil production.

The new routes and sector-wide changes aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s upstream industry for resilience and global competitiveness were revealed by NUPRC CEO Gbenga Komolafe on Tuesday during the 2025 Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja.

He said that crucial oil infrastructure has also been protected as a result of the commission’s cooperation with the military and security services.

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CEGA hailed Komolafe for “translating policy into measurable results” in a statement released on Sunday, calling the accomplishment “a major milestone” in Nigeria’s decades-long battle with oil theft and revenue losses.

In an industry that loses billions of dollars every year, the sanctioning of 37 new evacuation routes represents a strategic intervention rather than merely a bureaucratic change. The executive director of CEGA, Dr. Kelvin Sotonye Williams, stated, “This action shows seriousness in addressing leaks and regaining investor confidence.”

Komolafe’s leadership at NUPRC, according to Dr. Williams, has contributed to stabilizing a regulatory environment that had been beset by opacity and ambiguity prior to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)’s enactment in 2021.

He said that with the $16 billion in investment promises made in just two years under the Tinubu administration, the effects are already showing.

“These commitments aren’t on paper. According to Williams, these are genuine inflows propelled by aggressive digitization, regulatory uniformity, and clarity of vision.

The One Million Barrels Initiative, which aims to increase daily output from the present 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) to 2.5 million bpd by 2026, was also commended by him. Launched in 2024, Komolafe said the strategy is working, bringing dormant fields back to life, speeding up project approvals, and removing bottlenecks in the upstream licensing regime.

CEGA argues that increasing output is the most obvious path to energy security and financial independence, particularly in a time when $640 billion in upstream investment is required globally each year to meet demand projections through 2030.

“Komolafe is right to caution that if supply is not invested in, stability on a global and regional level will be threatened. Oil reserves in Nigeria are a strategic resource that should be used to their full potential rather than being underutilized, according to the executive director of CEGA.

A key element in obtaining the social license to operate in volatile oil-producing areas, he added, is the commission’s HostComply initiative, which guarantees real-time compliance with host community requirements under the PIA.

It is impossible to maintain peace by words. Building trust in the Niger Delta depends on the HostComply platform’s ability to make social responsibilities quantifiable and verifiable, according to Dr. Williams.

CEGA was especially inspired, he continued, by NUPRC’s incorporation of environmental responsibility into its upstream strategies, which include backing Nigeria’s 2060 net-zero goal.

“Moving to clean energy does not imply giving up on gas and oil. Reinvesting in long-term energy security and producing in a cleaner, more responsible manner are what it entails. He said that this balance was reflected in the commission’s reforms.

CEGA urged all parties involved, including commercial and state-owned operators, to support the commission’s goals and pledge to conduct business in an ethical and climate-conscious manner.

“It is evident that the NUPRC is not happy with the current situation under Komolafe’s leadership. According to Williams, they are striving for transformation rather than just survival.

The group called on the federal government to keep backing the reforms by protecting the regulatory area from political meddling and making sure that executive orders, such those pertaining to cost-effectiveness and local content, are applied uniformly.

“The Nigerian upstream sector will not only recover, but it will be at the forefront of Africa’s next wave of responsible fossil fuel development as long as this reform momentum is maintained,” CEGA said.