Nigeria is moving to deploy a digital workflow for permitting, reporting and data submissions across its upstream oil and gas sector as part of a sweeping regulatory reset aimed at lifting crude production to 3 million barrels per day (mmbopd) by 2030.
The digital reform forms a central plank of a new vision unveiled by Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), who is outlining a three-pillar transformation strategy to drive production optimisation, regulatory predictability and sustainable operations.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting in Lagos attended by the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), NNPC and other upstream actors, Eyesan says the Commission’s reset aligns with the renewed hope agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including a national production target of 2mmbopd by 2027 and 3mmbopd by 2030.
“The Commission will launch a digital workflow for permitting, reporting and data submissions,” Eyesan says, noting that the initiative is designed to reduce friction, eliminate conflicting regulatory actions and harmonise internal processes.
NUPRC CEO: Digital workflow to fast-track approvals
At the core of the new strategy is a planned digital permitting architecture that will automate and streamline regulatory interactions between operators and the Commission.
“The Commission will launch a digital workflow for permitting, reporting and data submissions,” Eyesan says, noting that the initiative is designed to reduce friction, eliminate conflicting regulatory actions and harmonise internal processes.
Under the framework, the NUPRC will publish Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for all major approvals, introducing measurable timelines and time-bound decisions. The regulator is also adopting stage-gate processes and mutual agreement on timelines with operators to compress time-to-first oil.
Industry stakeholders are being encouraged to submit matured opportunities for regulatory consideration by the end of Q1 2026, in what the Commission CEO describes as a simplified and holistic framework creating obligations for both operators and regulator.
The digital shift is expected to address longstanding industry concerns around approval delays, documentation bottlenecks and regulatory overlaps that have historically slowed project execution in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
Production optimisation and revenue expansion
Eyesan says production growth will be driven primarily through the recovery of economically viable shut-in volumes, arresting natural decline rates, reducing production losses and accelerating time-to-first oil, without increasing transaction costs or regulatory burdens.
According to her, the Commission has already “turned on the light” in a previously shut-in asset, signalling early movement under the new agenda.
A 90-day fast-track programme has commenced to accelerate approvals for near-ready Field Development Plans (FDPs), well interventions, rig mobilisation and other quick-win opportunities capable of restoring output in the short term.
The Commission is also placing renewed emphasis on hydrocarbon accounting and measurement integrity, with a commitment to track every barrel produced and promptly address discrepancies or losses. Eyesan describes trusted measurement, transparency, governance and data integrity as critical metrics under her tenure.
Regulatory predictability as investment signal
A second pillar of the reform agenda centres on running regulation “like a service” — enforcing rules transparently while making quick, predictable decisions.
Eyesan says the Commission will now be measured against defined success indicators including:
- Faster, predictable regulatory approvals
- Higher, more secure and sustainable production
- Credible licensing and disciplined acreage performance
- World-class health, safety and environment (HSE) outcomes
- Strong governance and data integrity
The Commission has convened a monthly “CCE–Operators Leadership Forum” bringing together NNPC, OPTS, IPPG and emerging players. The forum will focus on approval timelines, production restoration, infrastructure integrity, and gas monetisation and development.
By institutionalising structured engagement, the NUPRC aims to identify systemic bottlenecks early and provide investors with greater regulatory certainty, a key factor in unlocking capital in a competitive global upstream market.
Governance, safety and PIA compliance
The third pillar of the transformation agenda focuses on safe, governed and sustainable operations, including decarbonisation, improved host community outcomes and full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Eyesan says one of her immediate goals is to achieve 100% compliance with the PIA within 12 months, supported by a dedicated monitoring team situated in her office. The Commission will issue quarterly progress reports to track performance.
On host communities, operators are being encouraged to liaise with the regulator ahead of planned engagement with community leaders to reaffirm commitments to the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) framework.
The Commission is also undertaking an internal transformation programme driven by a Project Management Office, aimed at strengthening institutional capacity and eliminating process inefficiencies.
NUPRC targeting 3mmbopd by 2030
Nigeria’s crude production has fluctuated in recent years due to asset decline, security challenges, infrastructure constraints and regulatory delays. By focusing on digital permitting, production restoration and governance discipline, the NUPRC is positioning regulatory reform as a lever for output recovery.
The digital workflow initiative, combined with SLAs and stage-gate approval processes, signals a move toward data-driven regulation in which approvals, reporting and compliance processes are standardised and monitored in real time.
If successfully implemented, the reforms could materially shorten project cycle times, restore investor confidence and improve upstream capital inflows — critical enablers for achieving the 3mmbopd target by 2030.
For upstream actors, the message from the regulator is clear: submit near-ready projects, align with structured timelines, and expect a faster, more predictable regulatory interface anchored on digital processes and measurable performance benchmarks.
With the digital permitting architecture and 90-day fast-track approvals already in motion, the Commission is seeking to convert regulatory reform into production gains, and reposition Nigeria’s upstream sector for sustained growth over the next decade.
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