The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged stronger collaboration with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to promote transparency, accountability and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, made the commitment on Friday at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja while receiving the NUPRC Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and members of her management team on a courtesy visit.
Aliyu stressed the strategic importance of the upstream petroleum regulator to Nigeria’s economy, warning that weaknesses in the sector could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s economic wellbeing.
He called for deeper collaboration between both agencies, particularly in information sharing, investigations, procurement and efforts to plug financial leakages and curb wastage.
“Integrity in your sector is very important. We need investors, and if we are not transparent, it will be difficult for NUPRC to operate optimally,” Aliyu said.
The ICPC chairman also noted that corruption thrives where institutional safeguards and regulatory systems are weak, urging the NUPRC to sustain measures that strengthen transparency and accountability.
He commended the regulator’s performance in the ICPC’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS), describing the feat as evidence of its commitment to ethical standards and institutional integrity.
Aliyu further said the ICPC would benefit from NUPRC’s technical expertise in investigating cases involving the petroleum sector, stressing that mutual trust and effective information sharing were essential to successful anti-corruption enforcement.
Earlier, Eyesan described the upstream petroleum sector as a critical source of revenue for Nigeria, noting that the capital-intensive nature of the industry makes effective regulation, strong governance and a conducive investment environment imperative.
She described the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) as a “game changer” aimed at restructuring the regulatory environment and restoring investor confidence, particularly following years of declining investment in the sector.
According to her, the NUPRC is also working to unlock Nigeria’s vast gas resources while strengthening governance across upstream operations.
Eyesan disclosed that the Commission was reviewing the qualification criteria for its regular bidding rounds following challenges involving some indigenous operators who lacked the financial and technical capacity to develop awarded assets.
She said disputes surrounding some assets had also contributed to delays in their development.
The NUPRC chief executive further announced that the Commission would hold an onboarding programme for successful awardees in October, adding that it intends to involve the ICPC in the exercise to sensitise operators on good governance, integrity and regulatory compliance.
She expressed appreciation to the ICPC for its support and pledged continued collaboration and information sharing between both agencies to strengthen regulatory effectiveness in the upstream petroleum sector.
