The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has urged stakeholders in Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas industry to ensure that rising investments in the sector generate substantial employment, technology transfer and broader industrial benefits for the country.
The Commission made the call in a post on its official X page on Tuesday, following remarks by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, at the Lagos International Maritime Week 2026 and the 11th International Maritime Business-to-Business Conference and Exhibition.
The event, held under the theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence in Africa,” focused on strengthening the link between policy implementation, maritime development and economic growth across the continent.
Eyesan, who was represented at the event by the Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment and Community, Captain John Tonlagha, said Nigeria needed to look beyond the extraction of offshore petroleum resources and use the expanding sector as a platform for developing its maritime industry, local expertise and industrial capacity.
She said the growing level of offshore oil and gas activity presented Nigeria with an opportunity to build a competitive ecosystem around maritime infrastructure, specialised services, technology and human capital.
She said, “The pathway before us is clear. Policy to practice must mean moving from petroleum acreage to investment; from investment to offshore projects; from projects to production; from production to maritime enterprise; and from maritime enterprise to Nigerian jobs, technology, industrial capability and sustainable economic prosperity.”
The commission’s chief executive noted that capital inflows into the petroleum sector would not, on their own, guarantee significant economic benefits for Nigeria.
According to her, investments must be deliberately linked to the development of domestic capabilities, including a strong local supplier base, a skilled workforce, adequate infrastructure and measurable outcomes capable of demonstrating the value retained within the Nigerian economy.
She therefore called for increased investment in critical maritime infrastructure required to support the expansion of offshore petroleum operations while creating opportunities for Nigerian businesses to participate more actively in the sector.
Among the infrastructure priorities she identified were ports, ship-repair facilities, fabrication yards, logistics bases, storage facilities, waste-management infrastructure and coastal transportation systems.
Eyesan also advocated greater participation by indigenous companies across the offshore oil and gas value chain, stressing that Nigerian businesses should be positioned to take advantage of the commercial opportunities created by increased offshore exploration, development and production.
She identified vessel ownership and operations, marine logistics, subsea engineering, fabrication, equipment maintenance, inspection and certification as areas where Nigerian companies could deepen their involvement.
She added that environmental services and marine surveying should also be prioritised as part of efforts to strengthen local capacity and support the sustainable expansion of offshore activities.
Beyond the economic and industrial benefits, Eyesan stressed the importance of ensuring that offshore petroleum development is accompanied by effective environmental safeguards.
She cautioned that the pursuit of increased petroleum investment and revenue should not compromise the health and sustainability of Nigeria’s marine environment.
“The blue economy cannot be sustainable if the marine environment is treated as an afterthought,” she said.
The commission’s chief executive also pointed to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 as providing an important regulatory framework for offshore petroleum operations, including provisions for the responsible decommissioning and abandonment of petroleum facilities.
She said effective implementation of the framework would be critical to ensuring that offshore investments are developed in a manner that balances petroleum production with environmental protection and long-term economic interests.
Eyesan further maintained that Nigeria’s progress in the offshore petroleum sector should not be measured solely by the volume of capital attracted into the industry.
She said success should instead be reflected in increased offshore investment, higher production, improved energy security, stronger Nigerian participation in maritime activities and better protection of the marine environment.
According to her, Nigeria should pursue an offshore development strategy that would enable the country to emerge as a competitive energy and maritime-services hub capable of providing services to the wider African market.
The commission’s call underscores the need for Nigeria to maximise the wider economic opportunities presented by offshore petroleum activities by ensuring that investments translate into local employment, stronger indigenous businesses, technology transfer, increased industrial capacity and sustainable economic growth.
COURTESY: thepointng.com
