Yemisi Izuora
The Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has expressed disappointment that with abundance of gas in Nigeria that is capable to take care of regional need even after over supplying the domestic market, erratic supply persists.
The CCE, blamed the disconnect between upstream producers, infrastructure developers and electricity distribution companies as undermining progress for decades.
Eyesan noted that Nigeria’s current gas reserves of 215 trillion cubic feet (TCF) should have positioned the country as a major regional energy supplier rather than struggling to satisfy domestic demand.
She therefore called on stakeholders across the gas, power and financial sectors to stop operating in silos and embrace coordinated solutions to address Nigeria’s long-standing power and gas challenges.
Eyesan made the call during her goodwill message at the 2026 Gas-to-Power Sector Stakeholders’ Engagement held at the Afreximbank Africa Trade Centre (AATC) in Abuja, themed: “Power Sector Sustainability: Framework Implementation Assurance.”
Reflecting on decades of policy conversations and interventions, the NUPRC boss lamented that despite Nigeria’s enormous gas reserves and multiple government-backed initiatives, the country has made limited progress due to fragmented implementation and weak alignment among critical stakeholders.
Tracing the roots of the domestic gas supply framework, the NUPRC boss recalled that discussions around the Domestic Gas (DomGas) solution began in 2008 and crystalised in 2009 as part of efforts to address persistent gas-to-power supply challenges.
“We segregated part of our budget for domestic gas. And it was mainly focused on power,” she said. “We segregated for several years. The needle did not move. We’ve been working in silos.”
“The upstream working, infrastructure not moving along with upstream supply. And you have the power distribution companies, not even moving at all with anybody,” she stated.
“Today, we shouldn’t be talking about meeting domestic needs. Today, what we should have been really describing is how to meet regional needs,” the CCE said.
She further criticised institutional rigidity and policy “grandstanding,” warning that excessive bureaucracy and narrow interpretations of government directives continue to stall practical solutions.
“If we continue to grand stand, we won’t make progress. The country will suffer, the continent will suffer,” she warned.
On the global energy transition debate, Eyesan said Africa initially suffered declining oil and gas investments until gas was recognised as a transition fuel.
She, however, thanked the new direction being championed by the United States for an increase in production.
The NUPRC Chief Executive called for collaboration and innovation that will unlock power sector potentials for the benefit of Nigeria and the continent.
“If we don’t break those barriers, and come up with creative solutions, we will not make progress. Ten years from now, we will still be saying the same things, and it will be a big shame.
“My plea is that we break the silos, we break the barriers, and we come up with creative hands to provide lasting solutions to these critical problem that we must solve for Nigeria and Africa to make progress,” the NUPRC boss said.