The West Africa Centre for Energy Policy and Reforms (WACEPR) has congratulated the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, on receiving the SERVICOM Outstanding Leadership Award, described the recognition as a well-deserved honour for a reform-minded technocrat.
In a statement issued in Accra and signed by its Executive Director, Dr Kwabena Mensah-Ashitey, the Ghana-based think tank praised Komolafe’s leadership, noting that his tenure has restored transparency, efficiency, and professionalism to Nigeria’s upstream regulatory framework.
WACEPR commended Komolafe’s stewardship since assuming office as the pioneer head of the NUPRC following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), observing that he has built a performance-driven regulatory institution that strikes a balance between investor confidence and national interest.
The Centre noted that under Komolafe, the NUPRC has become a model of institutional independence and technical competence within West Africa’s oil governance space. It highlighted the Commission’s efforts in implementing key fiscal provisions of the PIA, strengthening host community engagement, and advancing transparency in hydrocarbon data management — reforms that have collectively repositioned Nigeria’s upstream industry for global competitiveness.
Mensah-Ashitey particularly praised the Commission’s management of the Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), which he said has empowered oil-producing communities to participate directly in project planning, benefit-sharing, and environmental oversight.
He further commended NUPRC’s reforms in production optimisation, hydrocarbon measurement, and decarbonisation, describing them as measures that align Nigeria’s petroleum operations with the global energy transition while safeguarding national revenue.
“The upstream reforms led by Komolafe have introduced a new standard of accountability,” Mensah-Ashitey said. “Nigeria now publishes clearer data on production, investment flows, and environmental performance, fostering investor confidence and public trust in the management of the nation’s petroleum resources.”
The think tank also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for maintaining a policy of non-interference in the activities of the NUPRC, saying that such autonomy has enabled the regulator to operate professionally and uphold the spirit of the PIA.
“President Tinubu deserves commendation for granting the Commission the independence it requires to perform. This autonomy has allowed the NUPRC to emerge as a regional model of effective regulation,” Mensah-Ashitey noted.
WACEPR further applauded Komolafe’s collaboration with international partners, including the World Bank and the Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership, aimed at driving decarbonisation and improving emission management across Nigeria’s upstream industry.
“As Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria’s progress under Komolafe’s leadership offers important lessons for other resource-rich economies. His focus on service delivery, institutional ethics, and staff welfare represents a form of public leadership rooted in competence and integrity,” the Centre stated.
It urged other regulators across the region to emulate the NUPRC’s performance-driven approach, describing Komolafe’s SERVICOM award as a testament to what can be achieved when competence meets commitment in public service.
