The Women in Maritime and Energy (WIME) Awards have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for appointing Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
In a statement signed by the Chairperson of the WIME Board of Trustees, Dr. Mrs. Chizoba Anyika, the organisation congratulated Eyesan on the appointment, describing it as historic, inspiring, and well-deserved.
She expressed pride in seeing a WIME alumna assume such a strategic national role, noting that Eyesan’s leadership would strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of Nigeria’s upstream petroleum regulation.
According to her, the appointment is a strong signal of forward-looking leadership, diversity, and inclusivity, adding that Eyesan’s extensive industry experience and strategic insight position her ideally to lead the upstream sector into its next phase of growth.
Mrs. Eyesan is a former WIME awardee and becomes the first woman in Nigeria’s history to lead the country’s upstream petroleum regulatory agency—a development widely regarded as a major milestone for gender representation in the energy sector.
The WIME Trustee’s Board Chairperson noted that the appointment aligns with WIME’s core mission of building an ecosystem where women are empowered to advance, lead, innovate, and thrive across the maritime and energy value chains. She further called for increased access and opportunities for women to assume leadership roles across both sectors, stressing that inclusive leadership is essential for sustainable industry development.
Providing background on Eyesan, Dr. Anyika highlighted her over three decades of experience in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and its subsidiaries. An Economics graduate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Eyesan retired from NNPC in November 2024 as Executive Vice President, Upstream, where she oversaw strategic management of Nigeria’s upstream petroleum operations.
Her career includes key leadership roles such as Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer and Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy. In these capacities, she led the development of NNPC Limited’s Sustainability Framework, strengthened financial discipline, improved cost efficiency, guided mergers and acquisitions policy, and coordinated long-term corporate strategy, budgeting, and capital allocation. She also played a pivotal role in government engagement on capital budgets and national development plans.
One of her most notable achievements was leading the commercial dispute resolution of the Escravos Gas-to-Liquids (EGTL) project, which resolved longstanding cost issues and secured multi-million-dollar revenues for both NNPC and the Nigerian state.
The WIME boss stated that Eyesan’s appointment reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to stronger governance, inclusive leadership, and a diversified executive pipeline. She expressed confidence that Eyesan’s depth of experience would advance transparency, efficiency, and excellence in upstream petroleum regulation, while reaffirming WIME’s continued support for women in the maritime and energy sectors.
Also speaking at the press conference, WIME Executive Director, Tunbosun Afolayan, described the appointment as a significant step forward for gender inclusion and future-ready leadership in Nigeria’s energy industry.
“Eyesan’s appointment demonstrates a clear commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive leadership structure,” Afolayan said. “We are proud of what this represents for women across the industry and remain committed to ensuring they have the support, visibility, and opportunities required to rise.”
The Women in Maritime and Energy (WIME) Awards is Nigeria’s foremost platform for identifying, recognizing, and celebrating professional women in the maritime and energy sectors. The initiative is dedicated to promoting leadership, diversity, capacity development, and sustainable growth across the entire maritime and energy value chain.
