The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority NNRA have agreed to deepen collaboration to enhance radiological safety in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry while reducing the cost of operations for industry players.
The partnership was announced following a meeting between the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NNRA, Dr. Yau Idris, at the NUPRC headquarters.
The move is aimed at addressing regulatory overlaps, closing existing gaps in oversight, and improving the ease of doing business in the country’s upstream petroleum sector.
Speaking during the meeting, Eyesan emphasized the need for greater coordination between regulatory agencies to eliminate duplicative requirements that increase operational costs for investors.
“The only way we can safeguard investments is to reduce our cost of operations, and when you have multiplicity of laws, the likelihood is that you will have higher costs because each law normally will come with its own fee and charges,” she said.
She noted that the Commission had already identified key areas of cooperation and nominated senior officials who will work closely with their counterparts at the NNRA to drive the initiative.
“We have identified critical areas on both sides and we believe that as we collaborate, we can close existing gaps,” Eyesan added.
The NUPRC regulates the technical, commercial and operational aspects of oil and gas exploration and production in Nigeria, while the NNRA is responsible for overseeing the possession, use, transportation and disposal of radioactive sources, as well as promoting the beneficial use of radiation technologies across different sectors of the economy.
In his remarks, Idris highlighted the strategic importance of collaboration between the two agencies, noting that the upstream petroleum industry is among the largest users of radioactive sources and radiation-emitting equipment in Nigeria. These technologies are widely deployed for activities such as well logging, industrial radiography and nucleonic gauging.
According to him, the NNRA depends on the cooperation of the NUPRC to effectively carry out its regulatory responsibilities within the oil and gas sector.
“The goal is a single-window approach, where both agencies share information rather than requiring operators to submit the same data twice,” Idris said.
He further explained that oil and gas exploration and production activities often bring Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to the surface, creating the need for stronger regulatory oversight and environmental safeguards.
To address this challenge, the NNRA is seeking NUPRC’s support to ensure that operators conduct radiological impact assessments as part of their broader Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). The agency also wants NORM management protocols integrated into the Commission’s environmental guidelines for upstream petroleum operations.
Both regulators also agreed to collaborate on capacity building, training and knowledge-sharing initiatives focused on radiation protection and the promotion of safe operational practices across the industry.
The partnership is expected to streamline regulatory processes, strengthen safety standards and enhance environmental protection while supporting efforts to attract and safeguard investments in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector.