By Milcah Tanimu

The Say No Campaign, a civil society network advocating against impunity and corruption, has praised significant reforms implemented by the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) aimed at improving transparency within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Ezenwa Nwagwu, convener of the Say No Campaign, highlighted the notable improvements achieved under the current leadership of NUPRC during a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday. He emphasized that these reforms have led to enhanced transparency, ultimately resulting in increased revenue for the country and the potential for better provision of essential services to Nigerians.

Nwagwu pointed out key reforms introduced by NUPRC, including the automation of licensing and permit issuance processes, which have reduced delays and eliminated bottlenecks. He underscored that the transparency in awarding licenses and permits is now significantly improved and conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Furthermore, Nwagwu highlighted NUPRC’s efforts to operationalize the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by drafting 25 priority regulations in consultation with stakeholders, ensuring due process.

Addressing claims regarding the allocation of oil fields, Nwagwu clarified that the 2020 marginal field bid round had concluded before the current leadership assumed office at NUPRC. He explained that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the awarding of residual assets to companies that had been prequalified in the bid round, following due process and in line with Nigerian law.

Nwagwu emphasized that the awards made by NUPRC’s current leadership were transparent and saved the government and Nigerian people money, refuting allegations of financial mismanagement.

Overall, the Say No Campaign commended NUPRC’s efforts to enhance transparency and urged citizens to engage in informed scrutiny rather than spreading misinformation.