.As NCDMB urges FG to invest more in human capacity dev. to sustain oil and gas industry
AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has said Nigeria is on track to reach the 2.5 million barrels per day target by 2026 in oil production.
The Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, in his remarks at the ongoing Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Energy and Labour Summit (PEALS) 2025 in Abuja, also said, to ensure sustainability and ESG drive, the commission is taking decisive steps to future-proof the industry.
He noted that the Upstream Decarbonisation Framework and gas-centric transition strategy aim to eliminate routine flaring by 2030, cut methane emissions by 60% by 2031, and monetise the vast gas resources.
According to him, the collaborative model mirrored global success stories from regions like the North Sea, where cluster strategies revitalized mature basins and sustained competitiveness for decades, positioning Nigeria’s deepwater as a competitive, investor-friendly frontier capable of delivering substantial incremental barrels within the next few years.
“Coupled with reactivating dormant fields, accelerating approvals, and deploying improved recovery techniques, these efforts have already increased production from a 1.46 million barrels per day baseline in October 2024 to 1.8 million barrels today. With this momentum, we are firmly on track to reach our 2.5 million barrels per day target by 2026”, he said.
Komolafe said: “Through initiatives like the Decade of Gas, the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP), and the Presidential CNG Initiative, we are creating thousands of green jobs and positioning Nigeria as Africa’s gas powerhouse.
“However, it must be emphasised that policy and capital alone do not create value; people do. The role of PENGASSAN members is central. You are the skilled engineers, geoscientists, HSE professionals, project managers, and technicians who turn investment into output, and output into national prosperity.
“Nigeria’s youthful population, with nearly 70% under the age of 30, represents a powerful demographic dividend, offering an energy and talent pool unmatched by most other oil-producing nations.
“In many oil-producing regions, ageing workforces are forcing companies to import talent to keep operations running. Nigeria’s opportunity is different: with a young and dynamic population, we have the chance to train, retain, and even export world-class energy professionals, positioning our nation not only as a leading oil producer but also as a human capital hub driving Africa’s energy transition.
“If we strategically invest in STEM education (which integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), technical training, and digital upskilling, our youth can fill the projected 20 million new energy jobs the IEA expects to emerge globally by 2030”.
He urged stakeholders at the summit to ensure that the conversations before the end of the summit go far beyond oil and gas, but touch the very core of economic sovereignty, the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians, and the place in the unfolding global energy transition.
He said NUPRC is fully committed to working with PENGASSAN, operators, service providers, and investors to ensure that Nigeria does not merely participate in the transition era but actively shapes it to its advantage.
“Let us remember, resilience is not built by chance, but by choice. Today, we must choose to invest in our people, drive innovation, safeguard the environment, and forge partnerships that will endure beyond market cycles and political terms”, he said.
Commending PENGASSAN for convening the important summit and for the tireless commitment to advancing the welfare of its members and the competitiveness of the industry, he wished participants insightful deliberations and outcomes that will translate into tangible progress for the nation.
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